Beautiful Equilibrium
by Bloodshy Testament
Summary: Vivi's been trapped with his old nesmisis, Black Waltz Three! Black Waltz's Two and One must cooperate with Vivi's old teammates to save thier brother's life! Three is faced with a little self evaluation! Well, alot of evaluation. Rated for lang. & AT
1. The Hitchhicker's Guide To A Black Waltz

_A/n: Hey there again, Bloodshy Testament here with another fanfiction on the market. I hope you enjoy this one! For those of you who're wondering, no, this does not mean Dawning Destinies is cancelled, just taking a break while I upload this one. I'm planning on releasing a chapter every tuesday, so dance the little upload dance! _

_**Disclaimer: **As much as it pains me to say it, I don't own any Final Fantasy Character. I wish I did... I' let everyone take turns borrowing them... _

Beautiful Equilibrium

It was another miserably hot day on Gaia- the sun beat down on every living thing on the scorched earth, from plants, to monsters, to the residents of every kingdom and regency. Travelers, however, seemed to get the worst of it- no instincts to guide them to water and shelter, homes thousands of miles away, limited supply of rations and having to carry all their gear on their backs. A young Black Mage traveling across the hot desert like fields between the Qu Marsh and Lindblum's Dragon's Gate knew this very well.

He didn't seem to mind, however- in fact, he had a smile shining in his eyes. Floppy, brown leather hat, comfortable blue jacket with white coat tails and green and white striped pants clothed the surprisingly lanky six foot frame of sixteen year old Vivi Orunitia. Everyone of his friends back at the Black Mage Village were genuinely stunned when Vivi's height seemed to finally top out at five four, and he threw another reeling punch when he grew another eight inches. Luckily, a one Mr. 147 was an extremely good stitch men and was able to keep up with Vivi's familiar attire.

Finally, the mage swung off his pack and sat, laying his Mace of Zeus beside him for a break. He had figured after seven years of isolation from the other continents, it was time to make a re-appearance. He didn't blame any of his friends for not visiting- it's not like he was just a block away. So he packed up, said goodbye to everyone- including his kids- and started his journey.

He sighed, taking in his surroundings. He could barely make out Dragon's Gate from here, which he figured was only a good two miles away. His plan had been executed up to this point- go through the underground ruins by Gargant (although they had a tendency to scare the life out of him whenever they came to close to biting his hand off when he held up a yellow flower for them), walk from the Qu Marsh to Lindblum (which is where he was), visit Eiko(who lived there) and Freya (who was in town for the upcoming Festival of the Hunt), then hitch a ride on an airship to Alexandria. Now he took a quick drink from the flask he so thankfully brought along- that is, he would have taken a quick drink if not for the simple fact that he had run out of water.

The Mage frowned, glancing up. He knew it was only two miles away, and that he could probably make it if he tried, Vivi stood, looking about for a water source. To his left stood a small forest, and where there were plants, there was water. He changed his course for that direction. Besides, he could stop and have lunch.

The blinding sun had strayed twenty minutes westward when Vivi reached the forest. Lady Luck was on his side- he found a stream almost instantly inside, tossing his pack aside and drinking his fill. He refilled his canteen and reached for his pack when he realized... there was no pack.

His pack was gone!

He bolted to stand, but, unfortunately for him, one boyhood trait had never left him as he grew, and he stepped solidly on the hem on his pants and tripped. Before he could recover, however, a weight pushed him back down, digging his face into the dirt below with a sly whisper.

"You picked the wrong forest to wander into, mage."

The weight laughed as Vivi whimpered a little, trying to force out a comprehensible sentence, but his mouth was full of moss and sand. The mavolent chuckle stopped as another voice entered, sighing. "Hitotsu, there's no point to that. For one thing your just fighting dirty, sneaking up on him like that, and for another thing, he's just a mage. What do you think he can do?"

The weight, apparently named Hitotsu, growled. "Then what do you want me to do with him, Dyuetto? Let him dance out of here and expect him not to report us to Lindblum?"

"Of course not, you dolt. But you don't have to be so mean about it. Just look at him, he's- he's-..."

Hitotsu seemed a bit concerned by Dyuetto's mystified tone. "What?"

Vivi was terrified. It hadn't occurred to him, or anyone else in the Black Mage Village for that matter, that because they were hidden away, all of them were sheltered from harm. In traveling, the mage knew there were monsters, but had forgotten everything he had learned from Zidane and the others seven years ago about the other threats- thieves, murders, and bandits, and had forgotten how to fight back. Vivi's blood ran cold as he heard a slice of metal on metal- the familiar sound of a dagger sliding out of a sheathe. Soon the weapon was under his chin, forcing his face up as he spit out dirt and blinked soil from his eyes.

"...It's the kid from the airship." Dyuetto whispered.

...airship?

Vivi managed to shake his head a bit, looking up into the face of his captor.

And the mage's chilled blood solidified to ice.

His giant amber orbs stared into the ruthless eyes of a longtime nemesis he had not forgotten, though put aside. Clothed in ragged, embroidered magicians robes over a simple tunic and pants, a pointed leather hat and almost elegant horns protruding from it, cascading blue and green wings with a single interruption of one smooth golden feather to each appendage, stood one of the assassins sent to retrieve the Princess and kill the others in Dali-

Black Waltz Number Two.

†

Vivi swallowed, his nervous amber eyes wide- though not entirely of fear. Black Waltz Two stood before him- the very being who attacked him and his friends before they could get on the airship to Lindblum, the one who had mocked his abilities as a Black Mage by retaliating the more powerful version of each attack Vivi had thrown at him. The teen still remembered the echoing, taunting voice in his head when he had tried a Fire attack-

"You call that Fire? Let me show you true flame! Fira!"

His thoughts were interrupted as the Waltz spoke, narrowing his eyes a little. "I thought Black Mages had life span limits. A year, right, Hitotsu? It's been... what, six?"

Vivi had forgotten the form that sat on his back, keeping him pinned to the ground. He couldn't help the confusion from his eyes as Hitotsu spoke, "Ah... If it was the same year as when I fought that blonde kid, it was seven."

Blonde kid? Who...?

"Mn... alright then. Get off him, Hito."

The weight complied. Vivi didn't get the chance to act before Black Waltz Two had the blade to his throat, lifting it slowly, forcing him to follow it into a standing position. All the while, the evil magician whispered, "There we go, easy now..."

Hitotsu, still hidden from Vivi's sight, grabbed his hands- and Vivi made his desperate move. He rambled out a familiar set of incantation and yelled out the initiation word, "Firag-!"

His voice left him. There was no explanation for it; he had felt the magic spring to his hands, felt them get hot as they surged the magic power he had learned to harness- but then it was repressed. And not by his doing. It took him a minute to realize that the feeling he experienced now was not a foreign one- he had felt it before.

"Careful there boy scout." Hitotsu growled, grabbing Vivi's stunned hands again and tying his wrists together with the thick piece of cord that had been the closing piece for the mage's pack. "Magic's dangerous in woods. 'Specially fire magic. Duh."

In front of him, the dagger wielding Waltz smiled almost apologetically. "We picked up a few new tricks since our last fight, mage. Did you know that, or have you forgotten what it was like to be Silenced?"

Vivi's face flushed angrily. He was doing it again! That smile wasn't apologetic at all- he was taunting him again! Making fun of him when he couldn't defend himself- just like the last time! He glared, narrowing his eyes at him.

Black Waltz Two seemed a bit taken aback, but lifted the knife again, touching it to his throat and backing him up against a tree, then making him sit at the base. Now the other figure came into his line of sight- torn and sewed brown jacket, the form in it hunched over, almost as if he were crippled, light gray pants with snowflake patterns lightly dancing across them, and a steeple crowned hat. He had a little golden bell looped and tied around his right wrist, small wings seeming to just... be there, as if someone had added them as an afterthought. Although his dark face and evil eyes were not familiar to Vivi, he could tell one thing for sure- this was a Black Waltz.

The new Waltz crossed his arms, the little bell giving out a tinkling note. "Let's kill him."

The taller one glared. "Let's not. You can be a real savage when you want to be."

"What's the matter with that?"

Black Waltz Two rolled his eyes. "...I can tell you one thing, though. If Mittsu finds him, your bloodlust will be satisfied."

The spoken to Waltz looked aside comprehensively. "Woops, forgot about him. Yeah, he'd have a field day with this one."

"...you go distract him."

The shorter waltz rocked back on his heels. "What!"

"You distract him while I get rid of the kid." Black Waltz Two retorted, matter of faculty, "Get him out of our hair before Mittsu finds him. It's better for everyone."

"..." The belled one sighed. "Fine. But If I get my head lobbed off, I'm coming back to haunt you, Dyuetto." He turned and disappeared in the trees.

Vivi had been glaring at them both this whole time, questions running through his mind. How did Black Waltz Two survive their battle? Why were they living here? How many other innocent victims had they mugged that passed through this forest? The Waltz glanced at him worriedly, his eyes playing the expression his shadowed face couldn't quite manage. "I've got some questions I'd like to ask." He stuttered, kneeling in front of the mage. A glint of sun sliding down blade reminded Vivi of the dagger he still held as amber orbs glared rebelliously at the sympathetic figure.

Black Waltz Two continued. "But, as you can probably tell, I have some doubts about un-silencing you. You have to promise me you wont try anything." At Vivi's untrusting gaze, he grimaced. "I have no intention of hurting you. Unlike my brother, I'm... more of a pacifist."

The teen sighed inwardly. He really didn't want to barter with this villain, but it seemed he had no choice. He nodded, promising silently. The Waltz smiled, but produced an Echo Screen from somewhere inside his robes. The glare returned to Vivi's eyes, and Black Waltz Two blinked. "Hm? Oh, I- I assure you it's fine... look." He unstopped it, poured a little into his talon-like hand and drank it at a view where Vivi could see it. After wards he offered the vial to the mage, and, regrettably, he drank it.

After a moment, the waltz spoke. "Now, my first question. Why are you here?"

Vivi took his time in answering, not looking at his enemy when he finally did. "I was going to Lindblum. To visit my friends. Not that it's any buiessness of y-yours."

The Waltz smiled kindly despite the comment. "Still holding on to the stutter, I see. Well, that brings me to my next question... the mage's, their life span. How did-"

A sudden harsh yell pierced the robed figures sentence, "Two!"

He sprang upright, his eyes wide. "Mittsu!"

Vivi blinked, glancing over at the trees around the clearing, the direction Two's accompaniment had gone earlier. But the figure he saw there was definitely not him. Heat instantly sprang to the mage's face, his fists tightening behind him. Glaring down at him with the fury of every monster on Gaia stood the most menacing figure Vivi had ever known, a form that had haunted his nightmares for years- dark blue jacket, gray pants, huge, beautifully glossy black and blue wings, brown leather hat and nefarious crimson eyes, the infamous, the hated-

"Black Waltz Number Three." The words slipped from Vivi's mouth with such a hate attached it directed Two's attention to him. The teenager hadn't forgotten the murder committed by Three, the atrocity preformed by the evil waltz on the cargo ship to Lindblum. The mages who had fallen to their deaths were always on his mind, who they were, what they could have become at the Village of Black Mages... dreams cut short, because of this, this slaughterer!

Two bit his lip nervously, wringing his hands. "Um, Mittsu, please... just let me handle him, I'll take care of it, alright?"

The waltz didn't even seem to hear him. In his eyes one could almost see the rage flaring inside him as he narrowed them to a deadly gaze. "You."

Before Vivi could do a thing Three was on him, the mage's throat in one hand as he hauled him to his feet, slamming the back of his head against the tree. A gasp of pain escaped the teen's lips- but that wasn't all. He rambled off the incantations for the first spell in his mind.

"Fire!"

An eruption of flame burst from the mage's open palms, incinerating the cord biding his hands. He grabbed the Waltz's wrists with flaming hands- but it simply wasn't enough. Three's growl only intensified, choking the life out of Vivi with a true killer's ferocity. "Your dead, mage!"

"Y-you-!" Vivi lashed out with his feet, catching the Waltz in the stomach and throwing him off him. He coughed, glaring up at his opponent. "All those innocent l-lives!" He charged without thinking, his anger taking him completely- the combatants forgot their magical heritage in their wrath, punching, biting, kicking, scratching- and suddenly Vivi found himself fighting for his life literally tooth and nail.

Somewhere in the middle of the fight, the shorter Waltz had made a reappearance, panting like a fang, Two glaring at him contemptuously. The belled form glowered back, catching his breath. "It wasn't my fault. He cheated. You know how he is!"

His companion growled. "If we're all still alive by the end of this, your dead."

Meanwhile, the two fighters had pressed back into the forest a ways, ignoring all else. Vivi's anger quickly soured, fermenting into fear. His adrenaline rush had left him, and he was barely able to block the blows being dealt. He took advantage of a misstep by Three, turning and running farther into forest. He realized he was a coward, but when one is fighting for their life, they don't tend to think about honor so much. He stumbled along, his breathing rushed, panic setting in- yes, Black Waltz Three was a murderer! He wouldn't hesitate to take Vivi's life- in fact, he'd probably do with a passion! The mage chanced a glanced behind him- his fatal mistake. His shoe caught on an risen tree root, going down hard. His face slammed into dead foliage and moss, knocking the wind square out of him. He ignored it and tried to stand, but was caught by the collar of his jacket. He was dragged upwards and punched square in the jaw in one fluid motion, backing up against the rocky wall of a cave jutting out in the middle of the forest.

Groggy amber eyes glanced upwards as he tried to disregard the blood pooling in his mouth, watching fearfully as the Waltz approached him. Again he grabbed him around the throat, glaring animosity and spitting malice.

"End of the line, Mage." He bung Vivi back, then slammed his head against the wall.

Then all hell broke lose.

Vivi screamed in agony- he felt the lightning bolt of pure pain racing down the back of his head- a loud noise, crashing- Three's clenched hand left him, but more pain, something heavy, dark, panic set in, more fear- he was fighting again, fighting to breathe, to escape, he needed to escape-

Crack!

...Darkness set in, and Vivi was alone.

†

Two was completely horrified.

He was staring at the remains of a cave, Rocks that had been collected naturally at the top having come crashing down, destroying the entrance and blocking it from outsiders.

Or Insiders.

He had seen the battling Vivi Orunitia and Black Waltz Three go in- but not out.

"...Shit." Black Waltz One muttered, but he sounded far away. The shorter Waltz hop-skipped oddly to the wreckage, his crumpled form seeming panicked. "Shit! Mittsu! Three! ...kid?" Two watched dismally as his brother clenched his fists, starting to pull down rocks from the debris.

"Come on, Dyuetto!" He growled over his shoulder, still working with surprising speed for his figure.

The taller Waltz, though, was still in shock. He suddenly felt his strength leave him as he dropped to his knees, hopelessness filling him, whispering softly. "M-Mittsu... he's... gone, Mittsu's..."

One stopped, turning in time to see his comrade bury his face in his hands. He sighed expressively as he growled, "Oh, come on!" He hobbled over to Two, drew his face upwards and backhanded him. The pacifist's widened eyes darted to him as he spoke. "Come off it, Dyuetto! Do you honestly think that Mittsu's gonna die that easy! That Odin-damned monkey-tailed freak threw him off an airship for Shiva's sake! He almost got hit by a freakin' train! And you're worried about him dieing in a rockslide! What the hell is that matter with you!"

Two blinked rapidly, looking down. "You... Your right. I'm sorry..."

His brother shook his head. "Just come on and help me. You can grovel at my feet later."

The sun had almost set when One collapsed. Soon after, Two sat next to him heavily, both of them breathing hard. They hadn't taken a break since they started in early afternoon, and now, at dusk, they had found that they had gotten nowhere. One's head lolled wearily so that he gave Two a lazy smile. "I think we're gonna have to go for help."

The Waltz was taken aback. "B-but Hito-!"

He shook his head argumentatively. "We can't do this alone, Dyuetto."

Two bit his lip. This was true. By the time they got to Three, he'd be dead. But on the other hand... "Do you even remember why we're out here, Hito?"

One rolled his eyes. "Not this again..."

"Because we're hated everywhere we go. The only reason I help you and Mittsu steal from these people is because we need it for our survival. Where were you thinking of going for help, hm? Lindblum?" Two frowned shaking his head. "Hah, they wouldn't help us for a million Gil. Alexandria almost fell to the man who created us, no help there. Dali was alienated for their violence towards they Black Mage's they created, and we look allot like those mage's, may I remind you. And Treno, forget tha-"

"ahem..."

"-ate us even more than Dali, seeing as it was their auction house Kuja-"

"...um, Dyuetto..."

"-and was prosecuted for crimes against other kingdoms when he was found out-"

"Two!"

The Black Waltz snapped out of his ramblings, glancing over for what One was so impatient to show him- and was met face to face with a beautiful gold and ash staff. Two narrowed his eyes. "Where did you find that."

"Over there."

"...and it's important...how?"

"It's that mage kid's."

The taller Waltz glared, "Oh, Eidolons One! Now is not the time to be thinking of the Black Market, thanks very much. Mittsu's dieing, remember!"

He sighed frustrated, not for the first time that day. "No. Do you know what this is?"

Two glanced at it with a dubious brow raised. "...A staff?"

One shook his head, shutting his eyes tightly. "No. Try again."

"...a...pretty staff?"

"No! Geez-" He glared outright at his brother, who almost flinched. "How could you call yourself a Waltz! Or even a magic user, for that fact!

Two covered his face from his brother's onslaught. "S-sorry!"

One shook his head, sighing. Again. "No, Dyuetto, this isn't just a pretty staff. It's the Mace of Zeus. There's only one like it in Gaia. Chances are that the mage kid's little friends are going to know he's the one who has it."

The pacifist blinked. "Proof that Vivi is buried in the cave with Mittsu. They'd have to dig him out." He brightened. "Brilliant!"

One grinned proudly, almost secretly. "It'nd it?"

"Question, though."

He rolled his eyes again. "What."

"Where do we find his friends?" Two asked curiously.

The smaller waltz polished a dark spot on Vivi's staff, narrowing his eyes in thought. "Ah..." His eyes almost flat lined. "...Two, state your mission."

Almost instantly, said Waltz's voice came back- but completely different. Instead of the lighter tone he was carrying, is turned darker, each syllable rapped out in harsh staccato. "Retrieve the princess, kill all others." He shut his eyes tightly, shaking his head and glaring at his company. "Hey! Didn't we agree we'd stop doing that to each oth-" He blinked. Princess Garnet."

"Queen Garnet." One corrected, heaving himself to his feet. "Ruler of Alexandria. That's where we find them."

Two was hauled upwards by his comrade, being surprisingly light for his length. "...Another question."

"Hm?"

"That staff... what do you think of it?"

He raised a brow as he shook his wings free of dust. "Well... it's nice, I guess. Powerful, very powerful."

Two rolled his shoulders, stretching. "Do you think it's... pretty?"

The shorter waltz blinked. "Yeah, I guess. Why?"

He grinned at him smugly. "See, I was right." He took off without another word, bound for Lindblum.

It took a moment to register, but when it did, One growled. "Your a dumbass!" He sped off after him.

†††††


	2. The Resturant at the End of Lindblum

_A/n: Bah, It looked so much cooler on wordpad. Oh wells... sorry for the spacing, folks, it just looks dumb on here. Anyways, onto buissness. It's tuesday! Told you I'd update on tuesdays... time for the reviewer shout outs. Thanks to-_ _**Lori**, **Pilotsolver**(I agree with you about the staves), **Took-Baggins** and **Beastiewolf**. **La Llama**... your review was...intresting. >. and A huge thank you to **Neo Nao Neo** for your kind review and exceptance of this fic into the C2, **The Waltz's Circle**... It's really an honor from the master of Black Mage/Waltz fics such as yourself!_

_Allright, enough of that, onto the fic. _

_**Disclaimer**: I ownzor nothing. I'm not teh elite hackzors. Sighzors._

Beautiful Equilibrium

...ouch.

Vivi opened his eyes slowly, trying to figure out what had happened. He was... was... what was he doing? He lifted a hand weakly, running it across his forehead. Where was he? He winced, feeling a bit of pain from his head... he brought his hand down, blinking in the darkness. It felt, even beyond the leather of his gloves, it felt almost... wet.

Wet?

He shook his head, muttering a quick invocation beneath his breath and snapped, holding a small, lasting fireball in his brown gloved hand. Amber eyes narrowed as he lifted the wet hand- and stopped.

Blood.

His head whirled as he put his hand down to stop from falling back. He was bleeding! Wait, why was he...? He shook his head again, closing his eyes for a moment.

Crimson.

Crimson eyes, glaring at him, something... something around his throat, choking...choking him. Why? Suddenly Vivi almost cried out as he felt intense pain slice through his skull. Shakily, he put a hand to the back of his head, drawing it to his eyes...

He swallowed, looking away as if came rushing back to him. Fighting, they were fighting, they got into the cave, Vivi's head... into the wall... slide, a rockslide- blocked them in!

He glanced around hurriedly, pushing the fireball to light his path of sight. Sure enough, boulders and debris scattered the cave, a mountain blocking the entrance.

Suddenly, the mage felt dizzy. He lay back down, breathing hard and looking up at the cavern ceiling. He had been fighting... fighting with who? He couldn't remember...

...c...crimson...

His eyes went wide. Black Waltz Three! He bolted upright. Was he alone! Was... was Three in here with him! He scrambled to his feet, backing up from the entrance. Oh please Eidolons, please let him be dead!

As soon as he thought this, his feet were up in the air and his arms flailing wildly- he landed flat on his back with a jolt to his system, his hand clenching around the fireball and extinguishing his light. He lay there quietly for a moment, with only a single thought.

Stupid Karma.

He sat up slowly, shaking his head clear of the aching pain surging forth. It didn't go away, but he ignored it, adjusting the hat that had miraculously stayed on through this whole situation over it. What did he trip over? Vivi put his hand near his feet, and was rewarded. It was soft, warm... he narrowed his eyes. Soft and warm? That almost sounded like a human bod-

He jumped to his feet. Black Waltz Three! He stood at the ready, his topaz eyes wide in the darkness, surveying everything, but seeing nothing. After a moment of silence, he relaxed a bit. Why wasn't he...? Cautiously, he went to his knees, finding Three's shoulder with one hand and lighting the fireball again with the other.

And he stopped.

In the disaster, a boulder the size of a Blazer Beetle had landed square on his outstretched arm, so much that Vivi couldn't see past his elbow. But, amazingly, that isn't what distracted Vivi into stopping.

It was... his face.

The Waltz's hat, unlike Vivi's, had slipped off, lying a few feet away from them. And Vivi's breath was taken. Three's face had almost remained the same, the same piercing red eyes, shadowed in darkness- but only to the bridge of his nose. He was wearing a piece of black cloth draped snugly across the lower half of his face, two earpieces on both sides that came from behind long, black pointed ears and to the front, where they hooked onto the cloth with a black painted clip. It matched the upper half of his face perfectly, and Vivi realized with quiet awe that only someone this close to his face could see it when hat was removed. His hair was stone gray, pulled back into a waist length braid that Vivi was almost unable to see, due to the fact the waltz was laying on it. His ears were pierced, but oddly- there were three hoop earrings up the right ear, two on the left, one on the lobe and one at the tip, with a small, fragile chain connecting the circles.

...curious.

Before Vivi could stop himself, his hand had found it's way to the ear clip holding the mask in place. He winced at the sound it made as he relapsed the fabric, gingerly taking it and drawing it back.

He almost swallowed his tongue.

It was almost human. The borderline, where the fabric covered, was faded, his skin transitioning beautifully from deep ebony to the same color gray as his hair. His mouth was open slightly, almost in a grimace, his chin almost delicate, not at all like Vivi had imagined. The mage forced himself a shallow breath, biting his lip. He... he... was he dead? Inch by inch, leaned down, tentatively placing his head on Three's chest. He felt the steady rise and fall, sitting up with a sigh of relief.

Blink.

Relief? Wasn't he supposed to hate him? Wasn't he supposed to be the murderer? He killed Black Mage's for no reason! He was a cold blooded killer, and Vivi was relived to find him alive!

The mage blinked again and looked down at his face, again, before he... before...

...how could this... face... belong to such an evil monster, responsible for the loss of lives across the continents? How could this... almost beautiful face... belong to Black Waltz Three?

Vivi was suddenly torn. He looked away, his breathing quickening. Three had meant to take Vivi's life in that last fight. If it weren't for the unstable cavern roof, Vivi would have been dead by now. If he didn't kill Three now, while he still could, his life would end when the Waltz awoke. He knew there was no choice in the matter.

The Black Mage's lips moved almost silently, but the words to the spell echoed throughout the silent reaches of the cave.

"May the darkness in my soul come forth to scorch the skins of my enemies..."

He had never really paid attention to how evil the words sounded until now.

"...strike them in my time of need, this moment, the dust of my heart to... to..."

He swallowed, the hand the held the fireball now beginning to heat even more, but this isn't what bothered him.

"...to burn theirs to oblivion, send their sprits to Hades and Odin... Firag...Firag..."

The word sputtered in his mouth... and died. He lowered his hand, the burning warmth fading away into the nothing he used to fuel the dulling fireball. Even as he sat there, staring at Three's face, the heart in his magic vanished, and so did the lighting element.

Even in the darkness he could see his face, and there in the darkness, he closed his eyes as tears ran from them. He couldn't... he couldn't kill...an angel...

†

Black Waltz One ran hard. As he did so, It suddenly occurred to him that running wasn't as hard has he had always said; but then immediately abolished this thought. It was problem easier when you were running for your life.

As soon as he and his brother had step foot in Lindblum, they regretted it dearly. He had to admit, their plan was a very good one- showing stupid Vivi's stupid Mace of Zeus to Vivi's stupid little friends to get them to trust them enough to help dig stupid Vivi and Black Waltz Three out of the cave they were stuck in- but there was one tiny problem they had forgotten to count on.

Getting to Vivi's stupid little friends.

They were in Lindblum because Two had remembered Vivi saying something about his friends being here. If not, they were going to show the staff to the Regent and demand an airship ride to Alexandria. It was true that they could just fly, but they were tired from their excavation, plus One had never been much of a flier, due to the tiny wings he had been given. So they waltzed (no pun intended) into Lindblum expecting royal treatment- and got knives thrown at them. In fact, the citizens hated them so much, they had chased them out of the city and out onto the harbor, where they stood on the edge of the pier with their heels over the edge, angry mob closing in.

One licked his lips in thought. "You suppose, Dyuetto, that it would be time for a swim?"

Two grimaced. "Ah... about that..."

The shorter Waltz narrowed his eyes at him. "You... do know how to swim, don't you?"

His brother smiled apologetically at him.

One blinked. "Oh. Wonderful."

Suddenly their attention was attracted as they herd a harsh clang of metal on metal. They glanced towards the on coming hoard, blinking as they saw a female Dragon Knight, clothed in a pink jacket and a winged hat, immense spear resting on her shoulder, her bright eyes glaring poison at them from beneth her hat.

"Oh, look," One mused, a bit too loudly then he should have, "a rat. I thought Kuja killed 'em all off."

Two's hands were clamped over his kin's mouth as he gave a huge nervous smile to the knight. "Hello Miss! Fine day, isn't it!"

Unfortunately for them, the Bermician seemed to have heard the remark. She un-shouldered her spear with a fluid motion, the tip pointing at the robed Waltz's throat. "Tell me," she growled dangerously, "what are two murdering scum like you doing sliming the streets of this city?"

One's muffled reply came instantly, but, because Two knew it was all insults and outrage, he stayed his hand. "Ah... well," he started off shakily, "We, um, we have a bit of buiessness with the Regent."

A few people in the rabble of murderous glares chuckled sarcastically, and the Waltz even herd a low mutter, "Buiessness with the Regent, hah. They prob'ly gonna kill 'im."

But he was too quick on the defense for the man to get away with it. "N-no, we weren't going to hurt him! We actually came for some help..."

The Dragon Knight gave a small smile. "Help? The only help your going to need when I'm finished with you will be to pick out your gave sites!" She whirled the spear over her head once and swung it mightily at the pacifist's throat.

An ear-bleeding clang rang out over the harbor as One pushed his brother aside and raised the staff he held. Weapon locked, the shorter Waltz was at a disadvantage, being the weaker of the two, and was buckling under the weight the Bermician was applying. She snarled down at him, her eyes narrowing to a lethal slit. "I'm going to slice that excuse for a weapon in hal-" She stopped.

One stumbled as the knight withdrew, her eyes narrowed now with confusion rather than venom. She blinked several times before she spoke, the crippled Waltz looking up at her from beyond the rim of his hat. "Where... where did you get that weapon!"

It was Two's turn to speak. He stood, swallowing back his fear of the deadly weapon the woman carried. He knew if he let One tell her what happened, he'd screw it up somehow, and they'd both be dead before hey even got a chance to save Three.

"Our friend gave it to us."

"Friend!" The knight spat, glaring at him. "The owner of that weapon would never befriend the likes of you!"

He blinked. "You know him? The owner, I mean."

The distaste for him was clear in her voice. "He was a comrade of mine, once."

"Do... you happen to know Zidane Tribal?" One blurted gruffly. Two was about to slap a hand over his mouth again when the Bermician grabbed him by the front of his robes, bringing him in very close to her with the tip of the spear between them. Her tone of malice returning, she hissed, "It would do you well not to speak of my friends as though you knew them as I have. You have not." Then, raising her voice, she addressed the crowd. "Please, disperse. I do not wish anyone see the action I plan to take with these two."

One growled and took a step forward, but the Dragon Knight lifted Two's trembling chin with the flat of the blade. "Take one more step, I dare you."

Slowly, grumbling, the mob split and withdrew. When the three were alone, the Bermician dropped the waltz so suddenly, he was forced to sit hard, shaking slightly.

"My name is Freya Crescent." Freya muttered, checking their surroundings for any stragglers. "Make no mistake, I'm not saving your life to be kind, nor to be civil. I'm doing it because the weapon you hold and the information you speak. Now." She turned her icy gaze down to Two. "Tell me exactly how you came across that weapon. And no lies, or I'll slit your throat."

Two swallowed, but rambled the story off at a fast pace. "We came across a traveler in the woods not far from here. We were in need of supplies, so we robbed him. No lies. It turns out it was your friend Vivi Orunitia... my brother, Mittsu, er, I mean, Three-"

Freya let out a growl.

"...um, Three and Vivi got into a fight. It let them to a cave nearby, just when the entrance collapsed. They're both trapped inside."

It took a moment for the Bermician to respond. "Do you know for sure weather they are alive?"

Two shook his head dismally. "No... ma'am. Not for sure. But I know my brother, and if your Vivi is as strong as he, both of them are still alive."

Again, Freya delayed her comment. One, however, was impatient. "So are you going to help us or not?"

The Dragon Knight glared daggers at him. "I will help your cause. However, there are conditions I wish to apply."

The smaller Waltz raised a confident brow, but his eyes stayed on the spear she held. "Like?"

"First, that you listen to every order I say. I want your honor, if Adamantiose slop like you have honor."

Both Waltzes nodded, although One didn't seem so thrilled about it.

"Second, you give me Vivi's weapon."

"No." Both Freya and Two looked at One with surprise.

"Hito!" The pacifist blinked, his tone shocked.

The hunched figure tightened his grip on the mace. "Dyuetto, we give her this and she'll take it and kill us. This is our only leverage."

Freya, unexpectedly, smiled. "I like the way you think, Waltz. The only hindrance to this is that I don't know of the cave you describe."

"Yeah, right." One growled, glaring at her, "And even if your telling the truth, there will be someone who does know where we're talking about. Cid for example. This is his kingdom, he should know where everything of his is. Once you find out- " He drew a line across his throat descriptively. "Our purpose is to be your guides. Vivi'll get his mace back when we see our brother."

The Dragon Knight's smile had faded, but her eyes almost held a bit of respect when she looked at the short Waltz. "...Well played, I must say. But mind yourself around me. If I find that this is all a lie, then you'll be seeing your brother." The rancor returned to her tone. "From your places at the Gates of Hades'." She turned on a heel, the mace wielder ducking to avoid being smacked by the broad side of the spear blade. "Stay here, hide yourselves. I'll explain the situation to Regent Cid and Lady Hilda." Without further ado, she was off towards the castle.

One sat next to his brother, putting on a high, mocking voice. "'You'll be seeing him from the Gate's of Hades'. Ooooh, aren't I clever!' Damn rat." He glanced at Two, nudging him. "You alright, Dyuetto?"

"...I think so." He muttered, though his expression unreadable. "I... hope Mittsu is still alive."

His companion blinked. "What's makes you say that?"

"...because I've realized..." Two said steadily, though One could hear his voice beginning to shake. "That his and Vivi's lives... determine ours."

They were both silent for a moment, then Two spoke again. "...you know how those people had us standing on the edge?"

"Yeah?"

"...why didn't we just fly away?"

†

_A/n: I'm sorry, One fans. I truely am. _


	3. Life, Desolate Caves, and Everything

_A/n: Thanks to all the usual suspects- **Pilotsolver**, **Malevalla**, **Neo Nao Neo**, **Beastiewolf**, **Lori**, **La Llama** and **TookBaggins**! I really love getting such wonderful reveiws from you all! I feel all fuzzy. On a personal note, this is my favorite chappie... I'm know I'm not supposed to pick favorites, and it seems a little big headed of me, but I just needed to voice the opinon. Doesn't have to be your fave! I'm just... babbling, really. -.- Oh, and the apoligy for One's character on the last chapter... I thought he sounded a little stupid, so that's why I apoligised... I guess I was wrong! So glad you liked it... well, read on!_

_**Disclaimer**: The Chara's of Final Fantasy IX are not mine, and never will be. sighs Depressing, wot?_

Beautiful Equilibrium

Black Waltz Three's claw-like hands tightened on the steering wheel of Fenreal, feeling the tension running through him, the anger. It shot through him like a current of electricity, the voltage ripping at his flesh, his eyes flaring with it. The target was set square in his sights- The cargo ship's bridge. He pushed the speed to it's capacity, zooming past the hull, then turning sharply, throwing his hand out. He grinned evilly to himself as he saw the little mage standing isolated on the ship deck- why not change targets? The ship would go down anyway! He heard his voice in his head as he felt his lips chanting the familiar words he had grown to love.

'I exist only to kill.'

"Thundaga!"

A blast of lightning burst forth from his outstretched claws, heading straight for the unsuspecting, terrified mage. The Waltz prepared himself to see the fried, charred corpse on the rotting planks of the cargo ship- but something happened. Little as he may be, the mage threw up his hands- Three knew he didn't see the mage move his mouth when fire red pentagrams appeared beneath him, painting themselves out of their own accord- then shattered like glass. The Firaga that was never summoned tore through the seemingly pathetic attack of the Black Waltz, and straight onto Three himself.

This was the first time he had ever felt fear so overpowering where he could not move his limbs. His whole body went rigid as his slanted crimson eyes almost went to orbs, the empowering Firaga inches away, his mind numbing into a small voice heard in the back of his head that sounded almost like his as he watched the dread attack come closer-

"I don't want to die..."

Three sat up suddenly, his eyes wide in the darkness, his whole body shivering violently. He took a gasp of air, swallowed it, and wrapped his arms about him, willing the fear to subside... after a while, it did, as always. He closed his eyes, calming himself, then opened them, taking in his surroundings.

The cave had collapsed on itself in the front. He expected this, since he had seen it. But... when was it that he went unconscious?

There was a small fire a few feet from him, giving off a substantial amount of light and heat, but besides that, nothing but dirt and rubble.

Slowly, he went to stand- but gritted his teeth to stop from crying out in pain. He looked down at the offending appendage- his right arm. Instantly, he blinked. It was wrapped. White material bound his forearm, from his elbow to the tip of his middle finger. It was tight, and for good reason; it felt as though his whole arm was split in two. He growled in obvious pain, but checked out the rest of him... he was unhurt, besides the arm, the important parts of his tunic and pants still intact, hat still on- he glances around before he checked his mask- good, it was still engaged. But... He glared at the crude bandage on his arm. Who could've...?

"...A-awake already?"

Three was up with an outstretched hand towards the voice, just to realize that he, too, had a hand in his face. Beyond his claw, he could see the glowing amber eyes of his most hated enemy; Vivi Orunitia. The mage was looking at him from the corners of his eyes, glaring equal malice as the Waltz was dealing out.

There they stood for half an hour before either of them spoke.

"This is p-pointless." Vivi muttered, glaring.

"So you say, Mage." Three growled, lowering his face for added threat. "Keep trying to save your life, it will do you no good."

He shook his head, but didn't take his eyes off the taller figure. "And you can keep on with the threats, b-because you don't scare me."

Three grinned sadistically. "Mn hm, I see. That's why you haven't bothered to fire a single shot at me, Mage."

Vivi countered. "Neither have you, Waltz."

Ten minutes ticked by second by second in silence.

"I've said it once b-before." The teen said slowly, "This is pointless."

"What makes you think that?" The Waltz growled irritably. In the forty minutes of standing, his arm had suffered the blood rushing back to it, adding on more pain to the shattered limb.

"Because w-were stuck here with each other." He replied darkly, "There's no way out. I j-just came back from checking around. If either of us kills the other, they have to live here with the carcass for Ramah knows how long."

"I can live with that." Three lied.

Vivi smiled sarcastically. "Besides... we need each other."

The Waltz laughed mercilessly. "What idiotic notion gave you the slightest idea that I needed you?"

"Because." The mage explained patiently. "We don't know who's going to rescue us."

Crimson eyes narrowed dangerously. "Explain yourself."

"It all depends on who rescues us. If I kill you-" Three snorted. "-and the other Waltz's rescued me, they'd kill me. If you killed me and my friends rescued you, they'd kill you."

The realization hit him dead on. This presented a problem, to be sure. The chances of his brother's being able to rescue him themselves were slim, given A.) the size of the landslide and B.) the number of their party. From what Three saw, curtain after curtain of stone and boulder had crashed in before them, and as far as he knew, there were only three waltzes, one of which, him, was trapped. Then again, the chances of his kin going to get help from Vivi's friends were also minimal- if they didn't have the right leverage, they'd be slaughtered. The fact of the matter was, however, that the other Waltzes need help, and the dark winged figure knew they had no one else to go to besides Vivi's former teammates.

Three knew Vivi had a point, and he also knew that Vivi knew he had made that point. But he couldn't let him get away that easily.

"But what if I killed you, and my brother's rescued me." He grinned, raising a confident brow. "Then I'd get away with your death Scot free."

"No," the mage corrected, a bit less confident than Three, " My family and friends at the Black Mage Village know the route I took. If no one hears from me, they'll come looking. And I guarantee you they'd find you and kill you."

Another silence. Neither of them knew exactly what point this was making, standing at the ready, but both of them knew they didn't want to back down first. After an hour and twenty three minutes exactly, Vivi broke the silence again. "We both put our hands down on the count of three. Agreed?"

"...fine."

"One...two...three." Vivi's hand went down- Three's stayed up. He gave the startled mage a bone chilling grin. "Checkmate."

"That wasn't fair!" The mage yelled, narrowing his eyes. "You cheated! We agreed to-"

"Cheated!" The Waltz repeated, almost as if he didn't believe the teenager had said it. "Cheated? You think this is a game, Mage!"

"You were the one who said 'Checkmate'!" He cried, outraged.

Three narrowed his eyes. "What does that have to- it's an expression! Game over, end of the lin-"

"You said it again!" Vivi pointed out, slapping Three's hand away from his face. "Game over! Just now, you made a reference to this being a game!"

There was an expressive wing twitch. "It's a figure of speech. Game over, Checkmate, I sunk your Red Rose, whatever, it's all a figure of speech for 'I'm going to kill you now'. Happy?"

"Not p-particularly. You shouldn't yell at me for something you did too. It's contradictory."

Three crossed his good arm moodily, saying in an annoyed nasal tone, "I'll be careful in the future, damned- what am I, you're father?" He glared back at the mage, but Vivi didn't seem bothered anymore. In fact, he had a small smile lingering in his eyes. The waltz glared. "What?"

He pointed at his crossed arm wordlessly. Three blinked, but growled inwardly. "Shit."

Vivi's smile was a sly one as he sighed. "Look, I really do think that we should try a-and get along for however long we're here."

The Waltz shook his head. "How do you suppose we do that? I'm sure we can both agree that each of us would like to see nothing better than each other's guts smeared across the walls."

"I'll tell you h-how we'll do that." He frowned, crossing his arms. "We're going to set down some rules. Number one you already violated- no threats."

Three had a face of pure disbelief as he shook his head wonderingly. "...now you are making this into a game."

"I-is there any other way to do this!" Vivi yelled, his patience growing thin. "Because frankly, I c-couldn't figure out another way from stopping myself from m-murdering you in your sleep!"

"What!" Three snarled, his good fist clenching. "How long have you been awake!"

He shook his head. "I don't know exactly... I'd say about four hours."

Finally, the mage had found something that Three had absolutely no reply to. He looked away, evidently furious- but it seemed almost as if he were mad at himself. "...Fine. What are your Bahumut-forsaken rules already."

Vivi almost smiled to himself. He had won one! But... somehow, reading the look on the Waltz's face, his victory... wasn't as sweet as he thought it would be. "... Alright. One, no threats. Two, no attempts on each others life. Three, no insults. Four, if you leave the camp, you have to let the other know where your going."

This caught his attention. "Why? Seems a bit stupid."

"Because," Vivi muttered, sitting by the little makeshift fire close by, "that way, one person can't sneak up on the other one. If the occupier sees which direction the other goes, there's no way the leaver can sneak up on the occupier."

Three narrowed his eyes, sitting on the other side of the fire. "You think about these things way too much."

"Mn." He replied dumbly, as if dismissing the subject. "Fifth and foremost, A-absolutely no magic unless needed for survival. This includes fights against monsters, b-but magic against each other is prohibited."

The winged form shrugged carelessly. "Alright. But only until this over. Agreed?"

The mage shot him a dubious look.

He sighed frustrated. "I mean it this time."

"...alright. Only until this is over. After that..."

"Free game." Three grinned, the malevolence returning to his voice.

†

Black Waltz Two closed his eyes blissfully as he leaned over the railing of the famous airship the Hilda Gaurde 3, smiling a bit as the soft night air caressed his face. After what seemed like hours waiting alone at the docks, the Bermician Knight Freya had returned to them, relaying the message from Regent Cid and Lady Hilda.

A message that did not make One happy.

At the moment, the pacifist's companion was leaning with his back against the railing, gently ringing the little golden bell, back and forth, back and forth... soothing as it was, the people who knew One best- Two and Three- knew that it wasn't so much a soul calming practice as it was an angry proclamation.

"...you know," He started slowly, stifling the bell with a fast jerk of his hand, "I understand why Cid put us on the airship to Alexandria-"

"To watch us while his soldiers and Freya contact Zidane and Queen Garnet." The taller waltz interjected smoothly.

The other didn't seem to notice. "-and I get why he limited us to staying on the deck-"

"So we don't cause trouble on the other parts of the shi-"

"I wasn't asking you!" One growled, glaring at him suddenly. "I just said I knew why! Why would I need confirmation to something I already know!"

Two blinked, mild mannerly. "Just in case someone else was listening in."

There was an un easy silence.

"Continue, please." The robed waltz whispered cheerfully, glancing over the side again.

"A-anyway..." The hunched figure narrowed his eyes a bit before going on. "I don't understand, though, why they would send the brat child along with us."

Silence.

"You can answer now, Two."

"Oh. Well..." He bit his lip, turning comprehensibly. "I suppose it has something to do with her relationship to Vivi. I herd Freya talking with her a few minutes ago, she seemed intensely worried about him."

One blinked. "Where was I?"

Two shrugged.

"Disturbing..." The belled waltz muttered, but shook his head. "I can't think of why. Why would the Princess of Lindblum worry about something as insignificant as a Black Mage like Vivi?"

Two sighed. "Erm, Hito? You probably shouldn't say things like that here. For one thing, you shouldn't call Vivi insignificant, because he is kind of the unspoken hero of Gaia, and for another, calling Princess Eiko Carol-Fabool a brat child really won't help our situation if someone hears you."

"Well fuck the Eidolon's, Dyuetto!" He growled, the bell giving off a muted clang in his closed palm. "What the fuc-"

The waltz slapped a hand over his mouth as a few Lindblum soldiers passed them, Two smiling nervously and the human's passing uneasily. Once gone, the brother released One's mouth.

"-supposed to just roll over and call her the greatest Princess ever! I don't think so!"

He sighed. "No, don't go that far. Just be respectful for once in your life and we might get away from here with our lives."

"Good advice from a murdering fiend."

Both addressed waltzes glanced up, watching Freya approached them slowly, her spear still slung threateningly over her shoulder. She wore no expression, but her fists were clenched at her sides as she glanced at the shorter of the two. "You might do well to heed his counsel."

"Hn, It never did do me any good before, Dyuetto's advice." One muttered sourly, upset that they're conversation had been interrupted, more so that it was Freya that had interrupted it. "What do you want?"

"I came to relay a message." The Dragon Knight said civilly, "Princess Eiko would like you to know that she can hear every word you say from her cabin deck directly above this one, so you might want to watch what comes out of your mouth, Waltz."

He growled. "I say what I want, rat. It would do you an ounce of good to remember that instead of your dammed courtesies."

Freya let a low snarl escape her before Two cleared his throat. "U-um, Lady Freya? If I could, maybe have audience with Princess Eiko to apologize for my brother's behavior?"

The Bermician eyed him distastefully. "...fine." She turned wordlessly and walked down the deck.

The taller waltz glared at his companion. "Hitotsu, you do one stupid thing and I'll kill you myself, got it? Stay here and don't make a sound."

He bared his teeth back, although only the other Black Waltz, who knew how to read these expressions, knew he was doing it. "Yes mother." He hissed.

"Thank you." Two grinned, turning and jogging to catch up with Freya at the staircase. "I'll be back!"

"Yeah yeah..." One growled as he turned, resting his elbows on the speeding airship railing. By this pace, they should be in Alexandria by morning, defending their lives against the fury of General Beatrix's Regime and Captain Steiner's Knight's of Pluto, not to mention baring the icy stares from Queen Garnet and her suitor, Zidane Tribal. The waltz shivered, thinking of the words exchanged there.

("Hey, it's that bastard from the Ice Cavern!")

("Whoa, that monkey tailed freak from that one place!")

Slice. Off goes One's head.

Wonderful.

Not for the last time that night, One sighed, shaking his head as he glanced back in the direction of the forest his brother was trapped in.

"Three... you better be grateful when we get you out of there... or, at least... alive."

†


	4. So Long and Thanks for all the Guilt

_A/n: And the shout outs! **Rose Mage**, **Beastiewolf**, **Pilotsolver**, **NeoNaoNeo**, **Malevalla**, and **Lori**! AVivi-sama plushie for you all. We finally get tosee Eiko in this chapter, hurrah! I'm sorryif anyone doesn't like her character in this, I don't much like Eiko. >. I know what your thinking, this from the author of Love, Violence, and Swim Trunks? And I say yes, and leave it at that. Enjoy!_

_DISCLAIMER: I owns nofink! Nine, do not kills me! Ja, leave me be!_

Beautiful Equilibrium

One of the most over used similes in the history of speech was appropriate for the situation in the collapsed cavern.

The air was so thick with tension you could cut it with a knife.

Both Black Mage and Waltz were almost sleeping on their feet- or in this case, their bums. Both sat silently, the pleasantly warm fire between them, fighting sleep as if they were fighting each other. Despite the rules, each were too suspicious of each other to actually surrender to the slumber that threatened to overtake them, and instead suffered bouts of dropping off only to awake with a jerk and shift positions uncomfortably. Neither of them looked at each other, attempted to start a conversation, or began something to entertain themselves; they just sat quietly, occasionally sniffing, coughing or shifting to keep the other on their guard.

Three had completely lost track of time by this point. With no sun to guide him and boredom setting in, he couldn't decide weather it was night or day, mid afternoon or midnight, and the more he thought about it, the more it disturbed him. If he didn't even know the time of day, what else was going on the outside that he didn't know about? What if... Two and One had adventured off to find help, only to get killed trying to save his life? For all he knew, another war could be starting, Kuja could have returned, the Black Mage's could've gone completely insane- the possibilities were truly endless! What if-

His thoughts were cut off (thankfully) by a rumbling. Soft at first, then continually louder and louder until it stopped completely. He blinked, looking in the direction it had come from- the back of the cavern, the tunnel that was masked in shadow, thinking how weird that was.

"W-What was that?"

He raised a brow at Vivi over the fire, the Black Mage's eyes radiating panic in the soft glow. Three's crimson slants depicted a cruel smile as he let the words roll from his lips. "What, Mage, scared of a little earthquake?"

The teenager glared, his arms wrapping around himself comfortingly, replying with a simple, "N-number Three."

The Waltz glared, thinking he was being addressed. "What do you want."

"No insults, remember? R-rule number three."

He pulled a disgusted face, shaking his head. "Are you that idiotic? I ask of you, Mage, what do you think your going to do to me if I break the rules? Is there some kind of consequence you have planned out in your little rule book? "

Vivi's narrowed eyes silted. "N-no, but I was trusting you-"

"Trust!" Three grinned, sitting back confidently. "Hardly likely! I'll tell you what you hoped to gain by these little guide lines of yours. You were trying to save your own life. You talk, but you can't follow it up, can't enforce your laws." He shook his head, even letting a small laugh escape his lips. "Kahah, you talk of trust, but trust has nothing to do with this, puppet."

Suddenly the mage was standing, his hand out and fingers outstretched, his angry glare turning into an all out raging fury. "Do not call me that!" He yelled, his tone seeming to defy his appearance. "You have no right to speak to me that way, Waltz! You c-call me a puppet, you stamp me a mannequin, but in r-reality you are nothing but a toy yourself!"

It was Three's turn to be furious. He glared, bringing himself up threateningly, his wings almost outstretched, trying to make up for the lost height Vivi had over him- and it worked well. "Hold your tongue, insolent worm!" He growled, his fists clenching. "You know nothing!"

"Oh, I don't?" Vivi sneered, his hand almost shaking with malice. "Then I only have you t-to blame for the death of all those innocent lives you've taken, the m-massacre on the cargo ship!"

Something in the back of Three's head seemed to snap. He grabbed Vivi's wrist, turning it sharply to the side- Vivi cried out in pain, dropping to his knees and clawing at the waltz's deformed talon, which was still twisting his hand in a way no one's wrist should allow. His words dripped of poison, his eyes burning in the pure overall anger he felt as he spat, "I repeat, mannequin, do not speak of what you do not know! The pathetic wretches on that airship were begging to be slaughtered, to be put out of their meaningless existence. I did them a favor, Mage! Do not forget that!"

"S-so that's w-why!" The teenager choked out, despite the screaming pain from his threatened limb, "That's w-why you k-killed them! You h-had pity for them- M-mercy! Y-you d-don't know w-what they wanted- h-how could you! They w-were enslaved, they c-couldn't speak for themselves! Do y-you call yourself t-their s-savoir for that!"

Three leaned down, growling his ear, letting the words slip from his mouth in his rage without his thoughts attached to them, "They were not the only one's enslaved, Mage."

They both stopped. Vivi stopped breathing, stopped struggling in Three's relentless grasp, the Black Waltz halting where he leaned. After a moment of silent pain and quiet recollection, the winged form released the mage, turning his back on him deftly, walking away a ways, but finding no escape, no solace in the steps he took. He knew as he said it he had said to much, uncovered the secret he and his brothers had sworn to protect. He hoped the teenager wouldn't come to the conclusion so evident to him-

But he did.

"Y-you... You were unaware?"

"..." The waltz looked away, closing his eyes as he heard the mage stand.

"The day you... you k-killed all those... you- were unaware?"

Again, the waltz stayed silent, Vivi's temper flared. "Answer me!" He yelled, his voice coming in a harsh staccato he didn't know he possessed. This... this evil form, the overpowering, dark figure of death he had remembered from the airship... was it possible he wasn't...wasn't as evil as he thought? That... that his face... actually matched him? Vivi swallowed his anticipation- he had to know!

From his outburst, though, Vivi thought Three would react in anger- but he didn't. He slowly looked aside, his gnarled hands clenching. "...yes." He said quietly, a voice Vivi didn't know he had. "It was same for... for Two and One. They were ordered to do... something they were incapable of denying. That I was incapable of denying." He fell silent.

Vivi's world seemed to shatter then. He had spent his whole life hating Three, loathing his actions on the cargo ship, and now... now he learned that those actions he hated... weren't his own. He had as much reason to hate Three as he did his own kind, and... His legs failed as he sat suddenly, blinking rapidly and breathing rushed, hearing his own voice echoing in his mind as he spoke softly, "You... were unaware..."

Three was silent. His expression and thoughts were unreadable to Vivi as he watched his turned back, but his wings... were dipped, almost... almost in defeat... and softly, like a dandelion trapped in a summer breeze, he heard the waltz's voice, a voice... that matched his face.

"...I'm sorry."

Vivi's amber eyes widened, feeling heat rush to his face and tears building behind topaz glass, opening his mouth to speak the words which never came, words he didn't know to speak, lost in his head, his heart, his soul... suddenly the darkness pressed upon him as his breathing quickened suddenly, his mind reeling in the numbness, the feeling of spinning, weakness... without warning he dropped back, lips still parted in words he had almost spoken, the feeling that could not be translated to comprehensible speech, and his eyes closed in the pain that came with reality.

†

The air had been thick in the caverns, but outside it was crisp and clean. High in that air was Black Waltz Two, standing tall in his robes and hat, the wind licking his garments, but by some magic they managed to stay relatively in place. Beyond this, though, Two was trying his hardest to present himself as a Black Waltz- but it was incredibly hard in his situation.

His situation being fighting verbally for his life.

As soon as he saw Princess Eiko, he knew One's word's were not lost on her at all. She had heard them all, and had taken each one personally. Now the barely teenage stunning form of purple haired, unicorn horned, elegantly dressed royalty was almost shaking with rage as he fists clenched angrily, and Two was very sorry he had asked for audience.

"Now..." Eiko began, apparently trying to calm herself, "you knew quite well that I was on this ship. You also had a pretty good idea of where I was on the ship. Why in the hell would you haul off and call me a brat child!"

Two cleared his throat respectfully. "In my defense, your highness, It wasn't me."

She glared daggers. "Are you suggesting we just throw your idiot companion off the ship as punishment!"

He cast his gaze downwards, knowing quite well that if tossed off the ship, One's tiny wings wouldn't last till he hit the ground. "No ma'am."

She put a hand over her sparkling green eyes, sighing frustrated. "Vivi told me about you Waltz's... although, 'm starting to doubt his judgment. He told me you were evil. I'm starting to think your not evil, your just stupid."

"Not stupid, just ignorant." Two corrected.

"Shut up!" Eiko growled, glaring at him before rolling her eyes with an exasperated sigh. "Apparently you are stupid, or you would know when to keep your mouth shut!"

"...sorry..."

She took a few moments to calm herself, walking past the sheepish waltz to put her hands on the banister of the airship, leaning against them. "...I... think I understand allot of things." She began, pushing off the railing, "About you, your...'brother', if I can call him that... I know about your past, I know what you've done to Vivi... but there's something I still don't get." She turned, wandering back to stand in front of him. "Why are you helping us? What do you gain from leading us to Vivi?"

Two blinked. He figured that would be an easy answer... unless Freya failed to mention the fact that Three was trapped in the cavern with the Black Mage. The pacifist, however, was curiously good at negotiations, having had to deal with his two hot headed brothers On and Three and interrupting fights between them. "I'll tell you whatever you need to know," he murmured in a respectful tone, "if you do the same courtesy for me. I ask a question, you ask a question, repeat. Deal?"

Eiko blinked, raising a brow, but she grinned slightly, crossing her arms in a haughty position. "...well well well..." She muttered, looking the Waltz up and down with some kind of new tone, "...alright. First-"

"My question." He interrupted, glancing at her from the corners to his eyes. "Since you've already asked yours. How do you know Vivi?"

"I traveled with him, once, Seven years ago." The fourteen year old answered curtly. "He journeyed to the Outer Content with Zidane and Queen Garnet and met me at Madian Sari, my home. This was well after hw met you, though."

He narrowed his eyes. "How do you know-"

"Ah ah." she interjected, "Mine now. Why are you helping us?"

"My brother." Two glanced down, almost thoughtfully. "He and Vivi were the ones who caught themselves in the cave, they were fighting."

Eiko shook her head. "I know that, but why-"

"My turn." He said quickly. "How do you know so much about our relationship with Vivi?"

The purple haired summoner snorted. "From him, of course. When your camping in the middle of nowhere, there's really nothing else to talk about beside past experiences." He blinked, but nodded unknowingly- then she spoke. "Why is it that you want to save Black Waltz Three so badly that you'd come to your enemies for help?"

This made him pause. Was it not obvious to her? Maybe... she didn't quite think of them as what they were. Did she think they were robots, machines of war and nothing else? Two shook his head, looking up at her. "...He..." He narrowed his eyes, speaking the first words that came to mind. "...He is my brother. Mittsu was with me when no one else was, same with Hitotsu. If we don't have each other... we have nothing." Even though his explanation was finished, the waltz's eyes stayed on the ground, realizing... he had never heard himself speak truer words.

"..." She smiled slightly. "You... you really aren't like I thought you would be, Black Waltz Two."

He blinked, glancing up at her, but she put her hands on her hips, erasing the smile instantly. "What's with the nicknames?" She demanded instead.

"Nicknam- oh, the..." He sighed. "I thought numbers as names were too... generic. So we gave each other new names. One is Hitotsu, Three Mittsu, and mine Dyuetto." He blinked. "Hey! I get two questions now!"

She rolled her eyes. "Very well, I've got nothing else to ask, anyways."

"What- um..." He blinked.

Eiko raised a brow. "What?"

Two paused, but eventually shook his head. "I... can't think of what I wanted to say."

The Princess would've fallen over in true anime fashion, but that was very un-lady like for an up and coming ruler of Lindblum. "Err- then p-put them on a rain check or something." She said, her train of thought temporarily derailed. "And... go away."

Two turned on a heel, steered for the staircase, going down promptly. Eiko just sighed, putting her hands on her hips as the Captains voice came from over the intercom, "Now approaching Alexandria, landing time estimated at ten minutes."

"Thank Famfrit." She muttered, shaking her head. "I can't stand another minute with those two..."

†


	5. Somewhat less than Mostly Harmless

_A/n: And so turns the world, and I miss my tuesday mark. I'm so sorry! I got really involved in everything going on with me right now, I completely forgot. So, here it is, a bit late, but here it be! The rest of the IX crew finally make thier appearance, and Three begins his self evaluation... Shout outs! **Malevalla**, **Pilotsolver**, **Beastiewolf**, **Lori**, **NeoNaoNeo**,** La Llama** and **Rose Mage**. Thank you, my faithful reviewers! Next Tuesday will be on time, I swear!_

_**Disclaimer**: I don't own Vivi or the Black Waltzes, er nobuddy. I don't even really own the personalities of the waltzes. They're Three, Two, and One's and they'res only! So stop asking me about that! (you know who you are...shifty eyes)_

Beautiful Equilibrium

The Black Waltz the ripped in two.

He was frozen in place, staring at the mage's crumpled form, blinking. Had he... done this? He shook his head. What did he care? It was mage's own fault he took it so hard- he had just apologized! Was that so hard to the idiot to comprehend!

...but then again...

The waltz could vaguely see where Vivi was coming from. The mage had surprised even his when he showed his courage, standing up to the menacing murderer like that, dissolving Three's illusions of pure stupidity in the mage. He was able to weed out the truth from him, and that, in itself, was a feat. But that was only a small belief in the winged figure mind, not the basis of his reality. Vivi's heart had been set on hating him for that incident on the airship, and now it had been crushed with a utterance of the word 'unaware'.

He growled, shaking his head. But that was his own fault! He had set himself up for this fall, not thinking it through! What idiot of a Black Mage would not even think of the possibility of the Waltz's situation being so like their own? It was Vivi's fault he was a close minded moron! He could stay like that all day and it wouldn't both him one bit!

Three's eyes wandered to the mage's unconscious amber rivets. He could stay like that... all... all day...

He growled. Maybe it was Two's pacifism, his kindness to others that had effected him, or maybe it was the smallest amount of guilt he possess for this pain- the smallest, one must mind- but his feet had managed to take him to Vivi's comatose form, and of his body's own accord kneel beside him, pulling him roughly into his crossed legs with his good arm.

No one ever said he had to be nice about being nice.

Luckily for him, he had dealt with this sort of thing before. Two had often worked himself up into anxiety attacks and fainted, leaving a panicking One and a impatient Three to take care of him. Swallowing the urge to decapitate him on the spot, he hovered his black clawed hand over the mage's invisible mouth, feeling the hot breath in response. Well, at least he wasn't dead yet.

He pulled him back into his lap impatiently as he began to slide off- but stopped as he did so. He had grabbed the back of Vivi's hat to pull him back, and now withdrew it slowly-

His palm was smeared in blood.

He blinked calmly, seeing this essence before. Allot. He had been in more fights than even his brothers knew about, and had drawn blood from both himself and the opposition. This blood was coming from... from the back of Vivi's head, the cavern, despite the campfire, being dim enough to hide the blood soaked underside of Vivi's hat from the Waltz. He sighed and grabbed the brim of the floppy leather garment, pulling it off without a hint of hesitation.

But now he hesitated.

As he took the hat off, the mage's face had stayed exactly the same, shadowed black face and featureless visage, pained amber lights slit. But...

Exquisite, shining blue hair had fallen from the hat, the strands laying delicately across the teenager's boyish face, looking almost like layers upon layers of soft, cerulean feathers. His ears were pointed like his, earrings silver circles at the tip and lobe, a clip between them. Breath stripped of him, he let his hands fall beside him, staring at those eyes, studying that hair...

...curious...

His hand lifted, tenderly taking a strand of hair, brushing it away from his face, then, slowly, letting it fall on Vivi's forehead, straying across it and his features as though seeing with it. Beautiful closed eyes, childlike nose, fragile chin, perfect... perfect lips... the Waltz withdrew, taking a composing breath. He never imagined... beneath that annoying infantile voice, irritating adolescent demeanor, stupid hat and jacket- was this.

Something... as grown up as he was.

Three felt his eyes move to an expression on confusion. How, how could he have missed this? How could he have been so mean, so hateful, towards someone like... like... like Vivi... this...

...angel...

†

The day had been a perfect one for Zidane Tribal. He stood in front of a mirror in the room long ago claimed his, ever since his return after the Iifa Tree incident. It was modest enough, for a castle guess room, anyways, in a newly added area of the castle. Since the ascension to the throne, Garnet had done some amazing things to Alexandria, and Zidane had followed in her wake. It didn't bother him that he was no longer the lime light- in fact, he liked it. His life was a bit slower, and now that he was nearing his twenty fourth year of existence, he figured it was best.

Besides, when Garnet was around, there was always the right amount of excitement at the right time.

There was a polite knock. "Zidane...?"

He grinned lazily. Speak of the angel. "Yes, my dearest?" He called back, grinning.

Garnet entered- and just as every time she entered Zidane's line of sight, the blonde gave a almost boyish grin. At the moment she was wearing a stately white dress patterned with beautiful black flowers, the small royal circlet, her hair, now grown a bit past her waist, laying flat down her back. She smiled at him as he pushed away from the vanity, placing his gloved hands on her shoulders comfortingly.

"Wonderful." He said at last.

Garnet bowed her head, embarrassed. "You should look at yourself, Zidane. Or should I say, Sir Tribal."

The blonde's roguish grin returned. He was wearing a black and green tunic and pants, all of it silver embroidered, a matching cloak and black boots and gloves. He still carried his leather sheathe and dagger, but he had down-graded his ultimate weapon to a simple Gladius, seeing as it was easier to manage then the swallow. He shook his head, biting his tongue jokingly at an angle where Garnet could see. "Ah, you know, Steiner's still not happy about that."

The raven haired royalty laughed mischievously. "Who cares what he thinks." She folded her arms over his shoulders, staring into his teal eyes with her huge brown ones. "Now that your a Knight you can stay in the castle with me, and no one can say a thing. That's what I care about."

"Then that's good enough for me, Dagger." He grinned, leaning in for a sweet embrace. They stood lip locked for a while, pulling away only so Zidane could murmur lazily, "Let's forget dinner. I wanna skip dinner."

Garnet blinked innocently. "But I'm hungry!"

He grinned. "Let's take dinner in here then."

The Queen pushed away playfully. "Oh you-! You better be on your best behavior Zidane, I mean it. I don't want to be embarrassed in front of the kingdom again."

"Again?" Zidane raised a brow, shrugging. "That joke was a hit with the guys in Tantalus!"

"Yes, but I highly doubt that kind of... humor would be appreciated at a formal dinner party, Zidane." She sighed, shaking her head. "Risqué is not the Bermician's buiessness, usually."

"Freya liked it."

"Freya is not King Puck and Bermician High Court." Garnet mused patently, watching him adjust his Gladius with a stern look. "And Puck has grown up in seven years. He's not a perverse child anymore, so no jokes. This is a serious, boring old get together, Zidane, not a bunch of vagabond's partying."

He sighed at a length. "Fine. Let's go before you bore me to death talking about it."

"If you'll die by me talking of it you wont last two minutes in the real thing."

"Bleh bleh bleh..."

They accompanied each other to the conference hall, laughing and joking all the way- till they were in front of the doors. Zidane held out an arm, Garnet linked her hands around it, then they went in with expressionless faces and regal air.

As Zidane had been thinking earlier, life in the castle wasn't really all that bad. He had adjusted quite well, considering how much of a outlaw he used to be. Even Captain Steiner seemed impressed with his progress thus far, which had surprised everyone when he had said so. Yes, the monkey tailed knight could take just about anything this castle could throw at him; except these meeting dinners.

Thirty minutes in and Zidane was dosing on a palm. This was so boring! How long could someone talk about the regulations of Chocobo racing in the border of the kingdoms! He was almost to sleep and dreaming how nicer this dinner would be with some hot server girls when there was an explosion from somewhere in the castle.

The Bermician Council were sent into a frenzy, but Garnet was up in an instant. "Please, please stay clam, it was probably something from the kitchen, please-"

"No I will not calm down!" A voice from beyond the double doors yelled. "My dumbass brother is dying, and you tell me I can't see Garnet because of some stupid meeting! Fuck that!

Zidane was up on his feet with his dagger drawn when the doors crashed opened. He growled, expecting to see some disgruntled Alexandrian citizen-

But he didn't.

He was face to face with the monster from Ice Cavern, the one that had almost taken his and his friends' lives-

Black Waltz One.

One blinked, raising a brow at Zidane. "Well, you're looking a bit less scruffy than last time, monkey freak. I wanna see Garnet now."

The blonde shook his head, his tail lashing angrily, his hackles already risen from that monkey comment. "What makes you think I'm just gonna let you walk in here and let you-"

"I-it's... one of those pointy hat demons!" A Bermician with a thick Cleyran accent pointed, looking about his peers. "The one's that destroyed our homes!"

"That one has wings!"

"It has the audacity to come breaking in here-"

"We should kill it!"

"On an important meeting!"

"Shut up!" All eyes turned to the standing figure- King Puck. He had been silent for the whole meeting, and now he growled, glaring at the Bermicians. "Don't judge someone on their appearances, fools, even if they do look like the one's that destroyed Cleyra and Bermicia.One of my personal friends was aBlack Mage, and it would sever you all to open your thick mind a little before you speak out of turn!"

The Council fell silent, guiltily directing their eyes downward. Puck turned his gaze upon the stunned Black Waltz. "What do you need, friend?"

One was completely shocked. A Bermician... being nice to him? It just didn't register... he didn't understand! He opened and closed his mouth like a fish out of water until another figure intruded upon them.

"Hito, you know you can't do things like-" Black Waltz Two had wandered up, looking around at the flabbergasted mouths of One, Garnet and Zidane, the shamefaced council, the noble King- and suddenly felt very lost. "Um... what's going on?"

"Your majesty!" The trio of bewildered figures snapped out of their funk, watching Steiner as he huffed into the room. He had finally gotten new armor, shiny, glossy and considerably less noisy, but his build had only gotten worse as he got older. No mistake was made, however, he was still as strong as he was seven years ago, just not as fast- and his stamina had considerably lessened since he had hooked up with General Beatrix. Panting, he bowed deeply. "My humblest apologies, majesty, I failed in my attempts to keep these brigands away from the royal meeting..."

Garnet shook her head, thoroughly aggravated. "It's fine, Steiner, but what are they doing here?"

Two suddenly bowed his head civilly. "Queen Garnet, we actually journeyed to ask for help. You see-"

Zidane growled suddenly, his mind seeming to finally catch up with the situation. "Why should we help you heartless bastards!"

One's face lowered angrily as he held up a staff, seeming to fume from the inside. "This is why."

Zidane blinked as he heard Garnet's gasp. "V-Vivi's Mace of Zeus!"

Twenty minutes later, Zidane was considerably less bored. The Council had been shown to a temporary waiting room, save for Puck, who insisted on staying on account it was Vivi they were speaking about; so the Waltz's, the blonde monkey tailed knight, Freya, Eiko, Captain Steiner, General Beatrix, Queen Garnet and the King of Bermicia were all packed into the modestly sized meeting room. Garnet had a polite hand shielding her eyes from the light of the wall fixed candelabras, trying to assess the situation.

"...so let me get this right." Zidane started suddenly, leaning against thebrunettewoman'schair. "Vivi and Three are both stuck in a cave somewhere in a forest between the Qu Marsh and Lindblum. You two can't manage the job yourself, so you try an get Lindblum to help." He glanced at Eiko. "Your mum and dad are too busy with the preparations with the Festival of the Hunt to take some soldiers and hunt for them, so he sent you four to come and get us to help?"

Two nodded, a optimistic smile pasted to his featureless face. "That's about right!"

Garnet shook her head dismally. "Poor Vivi... stuck in that cave with a Black Waltz..."

One glared and opened his mouth to say something when Beatrix spoke. "Not to be rude, your majesty," she started, biting her lip humbly, "but how do we know these two are telling the truth? And even if they are, what's to say that the Waltz hasn't already killed Vivi off?"

Everyone but herself and the Waltz's flinched.

"Well...?" Freya muttered, addressing Two. The winged figure drummed his fingernails on the tabletop in thought. "...I suppose there really is no guarantee, your highness..." he mumbled, glancing off to the side. "I can't make excuses for Mittsu. If he had the chance, would probably kill the Mage without hesitation. Then again, what's to say Vivi hasn't killed my brother?" He and One winced.

"True..." Steiner muttered, but with his loud voice it seemed as though he were addressing someone four yards away. "They could've killed each other off by now. But then again, who knows?"

"Yeah." Zidane growled, his fist tightening around the hilt of his dagger. "The longer we sit here debating the longer it'll take to get them out!"

There was a murmur of agreement, then Garnet spoke. "Alright, Waltz's. I'm trusting you." Her voice grew serious. "But If you are lying to me and using the kindness of Alexandria, then you will see the dungeons soon enough."

Two sighed, but nodded. He was certainly tired of the threats and the hostility... his faith in he and his brother's hermitage was renewed in the two days they had been in civil company. Or uncivil, whichever way you looked at it. But he hoped, God how he hoped, that both Vivi and Three were alive right now.

†


	6. A Babelfish doesn't even speak Waltz

_A/n: Ack, I lied. I'm sorry! Tuesday was not a good day. But it's here now! Can I promise next teusday? Nope, but I can say, very very most likely. Thanks to- **Malevalla**, **NeoNaoNeo**, **Pilotsolver**(I'll get to your fic as soon as I can!), **Rose Mage**(Yours too!), **Lori**, and **La Llama**. So sorry for the shortish chappie, but the next one's gonna be long, this is pretty much a set up chapter for the climax. . Read and Review, please!_

_**Disclaimer**: Not mine. Nothing is. Wa..._

Beautiful Equilibrium

It was decidedly night time in the caverns, the heat finally seeming to drain from the stone around them, the freezing cold setting it. Even huddled beside the campfire, the Black Waltz was freezing, his good arm rubbing his bad one in attempt to regain feeling to it, but to no avail. His wings were around him, trying to keep in body heat, but they too failed miserably. He had abandoned the camp for a little while, finding the firewood stock of some other traveler been here and past, building up the pitiful flames into something that could be called a tiny bonfire, but that only gave enough heat to warm the front on him. Not only that, but he was dead hungry.

Miserably, he sighed, his crimson eyes staring into the flames before him. What was he doing here?

Sitting a waiting, apparently. He knew that someone was going to get him out soon.

Really? He shook his head. Did he really know that for sure?

...Well of course. His brothers were coming for him, anyway. Yes, Two and One hadn't forgotten about him, hadn't given up! They were probably working at the wreckage pile as he sat here, thinking... thinking...

...they weren't coming.

Wait, no, Of course they-

No, they're not. He closed his eyes slowly, hanging his head. A sudden thought had occurred to him as he sat here, cold and alone. What if One and Two had given up? He and his brother's weren't necessarily that close... In fact, they weren't close at all! He could hardly call them his kin, the way they bickered over the most trivial things, got into fist fights about simple insults, and that's not mentioning the constant contest of 'who's the best waltz'. When he really thought about it, those two had no reason to save him- he hadn't been a resounding member of their party, the only uses he had were waking travelers unconscious and getting rid of their remains after they had finished with them.

...they had most likely already found a new place to forage from without him. They had abandoned him. And when Vivi's friends from the Black Mage Village came to find him, they'd take the mage- and kill the Waltz. Simple as that. He'd die alone.

A faint whisper came from the back of his head, sounding desperate. "I don't want to die..."

He growled and shook his head, answering mentally, the response that he didn't really have a choice.

"They'll come for you. They don't have anyone else..."

He growled, shaking his head, whispering, "They have each other. What else do they need? They always had a better bond between them than I did with either of them."

"B-but..."

Again, he sighed exasperatedly, but a tinge of sorrow leaked into his voice, the only emotion besides anger he had ever known. "I've got to face this. This is the end of me. I'm going to die here... alone."

"...you have him..."

Three blinked, his fists tightening. "...No! I'll not succumb his idiotic whining!"

"Why not? You've nothing else to lose..."

That was true. If he really believed that his brothers were coming for him, the only chance of his survival was to actually make f-f-...friends with the runt. He shuddered, growling darkly. "I'm not going to stoop that low. I'd rather die."

"...you sure about that?"

His voice rose angrily. "Of course I'm sure! Anything is better than that!"

"Why? Because he's better than you?"

"Better than-" He stopped, blinking. Was he having a fight with his conscious? This was insane...

The little voice was silent for a moment, then spoke again, sounding to him like someone was standing over his shoulder, whispering in his ear. "Better than you, Three. Better than you because he can admit his true feelings, he's experienced more emotion than you ever will. The only reason why you keep pushing away is because you know that. The only reason you wont make a alliance with him is because your afraid of it."

He stood suddenly, as if to get away from the voice. "I am afraid of nothing!"

"Yes, nothing... that's why you shy away from him. That's why you refuse to let yourself have feelings for-"

"I stay away from the whelp because I hate him!" Three yelled, ignoring the blinding pain in his broken appendage as he clenched his fists angrily. "For the humiliation I suffered on the Cargo ship because of him! Of the failure of my mission because of him! Kuja banished us from the castle because of him! My life has been a living hell because of him, and you try to convince me that it is nothing but my fear of him? Don't make me laugh!"

The voice came back with a vengeance despite his urge to silence it. "Your hate is based off of fear, Three! Everything you hate is- Vivi, the Black Mages, humans, Genomes, Kuja, yourself- all of it!"

This smashed into him. He almost stumbled, as if it were a physical blow. "...I...I'm not listening!" He growled finally, shaking his head.

"No, Three, your listening, your listening because you have to. Admit it, Waltz. Your just afraid of everything. Rather than stand and face it, you run away."

"Shut up!" The winged form shut his eyes tightly, walking from one side of the cave to the other in a rushed pace. "Shut up! You know nothing!"

"And you know you run away, that's why your doing it now! Your afraid of me, Three!"

Three threw his hands away from his face were they had previously been poised, roaring his demand. "SHUT UP!"

Everything was silent. He was standing, though he didn't feel it; he didn't feel the stinging cold wrapping it's slender hand about him, his stomach acid trying to tear down the lining of his organ looking for something to eat, the unimaginable pain ripping through his arm, didn't hear the voice, his racing breath, his heart pounding against his chest. He couldn't think, make a move, anything- he just stood.

And for a while it worked. He stood for a good ten minutes, his body beginning to shake as if he had just awoke from that horrible reoccurring nightmare of the airship.

That's right... it was just a nightmare...

He swallowed, trying to calm himself. He wasn't going insane. It was just his imagination...

Three closed his eyes slowly, taking a few steps, wings dragging dejectedly on the ground behind him. It was just a dream... that wasn't right, anyway. Afraid of Vivi? Kahah, absurd!

Then suddenly, a breeze wisped past him- no, not a breeze. A... a voice.

"You know it's true, Three... because I know it. I am you."

He stopped. The world stopped with him, and he was plunged into darkness.

†

_A/n: A cookie for who knows what this means._

_Dra haqd lrybbea ec yldiymmo puntanehk HL-17, pid ed'c kuehk du pa lahcunat vun Vyhveldeuh- pid ed femm pa bucdat uh sa fapceda..._


	7. Orunitia, you multipleme murderer

_A/n: Ah, so I lied, all you AL Bhed's. Next Chappie. Misscalculation, on my part, sorries. Alright, so wendsday! Closer than thursdays, I suppose. Sorry I'm late all the time... Thank you- **Beastiewolf**(awesome Al bheding, and sorry about not including you in the shout out's last time...), **Malevalla**, **Rose Mage**, **Pilotsolver**, **Lori**, **Neo Nao Neo**, **La Llama**, and**Took-Baggins**! You're awesome... _

_Kay, I'm thinking the yaoi haters better cover thier eyes in the next chapter. >.>;;_

_**Disclaimers:** I don't own any Final Fantasy IX chara, nor do I own theHGttG refreances. Sorries fer dissipointing peoples._

Beautiful Equilibrium

The midnight air was tastefully stale as it hung about the trees, a dense mist settling itself comfortably on the ground across the mossy floor in the forest two miles from Lindblum. The twin moons hung their scarlet blue shine like a thin veil over Gaia's earth, wispy clouds moving before them only to cower away from their wrathful glow minutes later. Past the snickering stream, tall pines, ashy oaks and powerful birch stood the rubble of a once humbly beautiful little cave, now torn down by bickering, hate and fear.

Inside, the breathing of Black Waltz Three could be heard resonating across the jagged walls, the acoustics tweaked indefinitely by the blocked entrance. The winged figure sat with his knees to his chest in the corner, watching with no expression as the dimming firelight of their light source flickered, gasped for breath, then died... and for the first time in his life, Three felt truly alone.

Upon his awakening he had discovered his guilty conscious had left him, it's purpose thinking served. The waltz was now thoroughly aware of the source of his hate, convinced by his own emotion. It was true, he concluded, that he spat malice and drank loathing because of fear, and had also come to the stunning realization that this, in fact, was the reason why Kuja had been able to control him.

As it was with the Black Mages, Three had been "born" unaware. He felt nothing but what his master wanted him to feel, he knew nothing but what he was told, and did nothing but what he'd been bade. His whole life, his actions had been influenced by a single, omnipotent being who had played him like a strung up mannequin, for lack of a better simile. Naturally, after he had been cut off from this guided life, he struggled to continue the way he had once lived in content.

And naturally, he failed.

He didn't know why Kuja forced him to hate the ones he did, so he made an excuse for himself. If they're better than you, you hate them. He had mistaken the feeling of abhor for the emotion of fear.

So now he sat, floundering in his own helplessness, drowning in questions. The only answer he could come to was that he... he needed help.

His crimson eyes found his only companion in this cloud of confusion, past the dying embers of charcoal that was his only source of light. The unconscious, shivering form of Vivi Orunitia.

Before this had happened, he had done the best he could for him. The injuries Three had caused when repeatedly slamming the back of his head into various objects were worse than he thought, and had became the reason of the Mage's condition. Blood loss.

He had taken the tail coats of Vivi's jacket, ripping them to shreds to create a bandage around his forehead and covering the blood soaked tendrils of hair. In doing this, though, he had found something even more interesting. The tailcoats had already been ripped, and the same marital had been wrapped around Three's busted arm.

A twang of guilt flooded him as he thought back on that, shaking his head. There was really nothing he could do...

He blinked as he saw another cold spasm from Vivi. Maybe he could...

He stood shakily, slowly making his way over to the fire. He muttered a few incantations he had almost forgotten, his forte being thunder magic, and the fire sprang to life, the waltz throwing the rest of his salvaged firewood on the hungry flames. After making sure it was rising steadily, he wandered over to Vivi, biting his lip as he stood over him.

He remembered the argument with himself all too well, how the only chance he had of staying alive was to befriend the unconscious teenager. But, if he did (by some miracle) survive this, what would there be to live for?

...making them pay.

His eyes narrowed dangerously, a low growl coming to forth from his lungs. Again he felt the anger rising hate coming to his heart, but this time it wasn't placed on the precipice of fear. This time it was locked correctly, crosshairs slammed on Two and One. He would make them pay for abandoning him, and this was his reason for living.

...but wasn't that the mistake he made in the first place? Basing his life around hate, pushing his brothers away to the point where they would forsake him if they got a chance...?

He growled shaking his head. It didn't matter. Now he had his obligation, and his egotistical bubble had been popped. He would sink to this level.

Three grabbed the brim of his hat with one hand, the straps of his jacket with the other.

He would live through this.

†

Black Waltz Two was now silent, watching dismally as a dark cloud of sorrow grew over his head. It was true that he hadn't expected Garnet to jump up and rush out there, but it was also true that the longer they waited, the more chance there was that Three and Vivi were both dead. He shook his head, sighing and leaning against a pillar at the edge of Alexandria's harbor, crossing his arms protectively.

After presenting the case, he was told that he and One would have to wait in a guest room until tomorrow, when the would set off- tomorrow, though was too long of a time to spend in a closed room, guards outside and One annoying the hellish sanity out of him inside. He had snuck out only to find that there was really no where to go- the town he once knew had changed so much over the past years, and he knew if he took a step in one direction, he wouldn't be able to get back. So he stood and waited by the dock, bubbling fountian behind him, paved stones beneath, and worry eating away inside.

"Usually, when I tell someone to stay in their room, they do it."

He blinked, glancing behind him, blinking as a figure in a white robe made it's way up to him.

"But I would expect something like this from a Black Waltz." The cloaked form lifted it's head- revealing beautiful chocolate eyes, dark fudge hair and milk skin.

"Q-queen Garnet!" Two stuttered, instantly going into a respectful bow. "Uh, err, my apologies, I just... don't really do very well in small places..."

She raised a brow. "Is that so?" The raven haired beauty sighed, placing her hands on her hips. "Relax, Black Waltz Two. I'm not going to report you or anything silly like that. Although I probably should, you being a famous murderer and all."

Two winced slightly as he stood straight. "Well, if I may, your majesty... I wouldn't hurt you."

This seemed to get her attention. She stopped, blinking at him. "Y-you wouldn't hurt me?"

He shook his head, but his gaze was well averted by this point. "I... I'm more of a pacifist, really. More so than my brothers, anyway. Violence... always left a sour taste in my mouth."

Garnet's expression softend a little, but she was still confused. Wasn't this the treacherous Waltz who had been sent to kidnap her in Dali? The mocking, self absorbed, egotistical, evil bastard who had challenged her friends in a duel to the death for her life? She remembered him as the very same, great blue and green wings with single smooth gold, crimson amber eyes...

...but if he was the same monster who had threatened lives... her life, her freinds lives... why did she feel... sorry for him?

She bit her lip softly, her voice barely heard by both over the noise of running water. "...I believe you."

Two blinked up at her, genuinely surprised. "You... you do?"

The Queen nodded softly, glancing downwards. "I... don't know why, Two, but you seem... different, from when I last... met you." She allowed herself a private smile. "Seeing as you were trying to kill me then."

"Not kill, capture." He corrected, although a grimace lingered in his eyes. "And It's not like I had much of a choice. What with the voice in the back of my head always telling me what my mission was, the same annoying murderous monotone, I could-" He stopped.

They stood in silence.

Garnet was staring at him wide eyed, Two looking as though he was rewinding his brain. Finally, after a long while of recollection, an intelligent noise was made.

"Ah..."

...well, not so intelligent.

"Are... you telling me that you were... Unaware? Like the Black Mages?" Garnet whispered, her bright eyes inquisitive.

"..." Two turned quickly, almost in mock imitation of his grumpier sibling. "...I... yes, your majesty. Much like... the Mages, we were also rendered unaware..." The woman almost saw a shiver run through him. "...but not."

"..but not?"

He sighed, shaking his head. "We weren't in control of our own actions, if that's what the definition of 'Unaware' is. Our minds though... our minds..." Quietly, he put a hand to his forehead. "Were captive... I myself was created wrongfully, a... reject, if you will. My personality, most unlike my brother's Hito and Mittsu, was the opposite of a perfect warrior, which is what the Black Waltz's were created to be. So I... watched... while Kuja ordered me about like some... doll, helpless as if pulled about by invisible mannequin strings, watching my own hands kill and pillage and murder..."

He suddenly clenched his hands, Garnet cringing as he yelled, a hateful, waltz-like voice replacing his usual innocent melody, "I hated it! Every moment of my life was a walking nightmare, everyday a terrible relevance of my awful existence, born to carry on this life I lead because of the simple fact of my sinful birth, my cries unheard because I had not spoke them, my reaching scorned because I had not made the move- I was terrified! And I-- I-..."

Fading breath left a cold chill lingering on the former Princess, but she was really unable to shiver. This whole time she had despised the Waltz's for what they had attempted seven years ago... but now... now... She quietly placed a sympathetic hand on the winged form's shoulder, Two glancing back gloomily.

"...I'm sorry, Two. For all the citizens of Alexandria, I apologize."

Unchanging eyes started expressionless at her, then finally looking away, but keeping his face a profile glance to her. "Keep it, Queen Garnet."

Her head almost jerked back in alarm. "What?"

"I do not need your sympathy." He muttered, almost seeming indifferent. "I Do not beg for your forgiveness. I can live with the hate your people, and all others, throw at me. I can take the death threats and ugly words, the accusations and blame. I tell you the truth of my existence not to stir pity for me in you, or anyone else, but for the simple fact that it is the truth. And everyone deserves to know the truth, I think." He glanced back at her, his polite, earnest smile faintly appearing in his eyes. "I can live with the hate, Miss Alexandros. But I can't think of living a life without my brothers."

She smiled softly, patting his shoulder. "I wouldn't want you to even imagine it, Black Waltz Two."

"Dyuetto." Two corrected, smiling a little.

Garnet nodded a bit. "Dyuetto."

They stood in silence, until the waltz stood straight, shaking himself as if clearing misery the way a fang shakes off water. "Well then. I suppose I should return to my quarters..." He turned, beginning to walk off, when he stopped. "Miss Alexandros, I would appreciate it if you would not tell your comrades about my little... confession... Hitotsu would be quite cross at me if he knew I had told you."

"Dagger."

He blinked. "Eh?"

She gave him a smile that suddenly reminded him of Zidane. "Please, Dyuetto, call me Dagger. Your secret is safe with me."

He smiled slightly, nodding and walking a ways... before stopping again. "Miss Al- ...Dagger? May I ask you... what were you doing out here?"

She smiled softly, lowering her head a little- to hide her slight blush. "I'm- I'm meeting someone."

Two raised a questioning brow, but it seemed to come to him. "Ah. Pleasant Evening... Dagger."

"You too, Dyuetto."

†


	8. Vogon Poetry, A red sock, A Black Waltz

_A/n: Gah, I'm so sorry. Very lame chapter lined up for you tonight. Short, lame. So sorry, again. For the lateness too. I swear the next chapter will be so much better. I got wrapped up in the planning the sequal. .; Admittance! Read on. _

_Thankees to: **Beastiewolf**(I like Two too, I dunno why. O.o), **Neo Nao Neo**, **Rose Mage**(Much more yaoi to come! Whahah!), **Malevalla**, **Pilotsolver**(Hehe, Bloodyshy.), **La Lamaa**, **Lori**(Always a pleasure!Your so nice to me! .), and **Steelpe333**(I know about the grammer, sorry, I really suck at it. -.-). Thank for all your wonderful comments! _

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing, and you can't make me.**_

Beautiful Equilibrium

Safe, warm, secure. The Black Mage named Vivi Orunitia felt it, something wrapped around him, holding on tightly in return, but thought nothing of it. He was safe, he was warm, he was secure.

For the past fifteen minutes he had lay there, eyes closed, snuggled up, trying to figure out everything that had happened to him, and found that he couldn't remember. All he saw in his memory was a flock of fading faces, waving from the edge of a cute little village and yelling encouragements. Names became attached, and Vivi began to remember.

Mikoto, the genome whom he had worked with to rescue the mage's from a certain death, the one year limitation on their life spans. He owed allot to her and her dedication, for it was her who had saved them all. Mr.288, the mage whom he had spent so much time talking with, getting to know, becoming friends. Marekin, Visha, Jade, Kinen, Fall, Melody, Ivan, Roku and Dan, the nine children he considered his, all projects to repopulate the village after the stoppage of so many mages, the end of so many lives. This was his village, his life, his home, and now he wondered why they were waving, why they were bidding him farewell, why he chose to leave this little piece of heaven.

His friends appeared to him, each one smiling- except for Amarant, whom he had never actually seen smile. The adventure he had undergone with them ran backwards through his mind, backwards until it came to a screeching halt.

An airship. A winged Black Mage, cruel eyes so far away from the friends he knew at home, visage so threatening, so evil- eyes closed in pain, stone gray hair, fading skin to white, perfect face, an angel, an angel, a fallen angel...

Something shifted beneth him, and it jolted him from his memories. Trying not to concentrate on the throbbing pain that reminded him of a still forgotten injury, he muttered something he didn't even place and turned his head, falling back asleep.

Safe, warm, secure. Vivi didn't want reality. He wanted to be safe, warm and secure.

†

Desperation was a sick and twisted company, and Three was beginning to know it more than he would've liked. He sat in the vast emptiness of the cavern, the only one to accompany him an unconscious enemy; an enemy whom he now held in his arms, like a child, the mage resting deep in his halfhearted embrace, remnants of shredded tailcoat's wrapped around his head. Three had tried his best to take care of him, even removing his jacket and circling it around Vivi's lithe shoulders, feather's around the collar tickling his cheeks. All the waltz could do was stare helplessly at his face, now very visible after the removal of the mage's hat, which now lay by his own by the fire.

He truly was something to behold... a thing of... what did Kuja once call it? He shivered, trying to block out that memory. The pale man standing over him, a smile crossing his lips, a cruel smile, a cold hand on his cheek... prefect lips tilted in a smile, white teeth flashing between pale pink as he spoke.

_"You, Black Waltz Three... you're so much better than your predecessors, so much more... beautiful..."_

Beautiful...

Three's eyes narrowed slightly. Could he afford to be thinking this? He wasn't sure what was going on, the thoughts running through his head completely foreign... he hated this! This eidolon-dammed confusion, it was unbecoming, not right, frustrating and most of all-

...terrifying...

Crimson eyes closed softly, his gray hair slipping over his ear quietly. He had to stop this, mixing up his emotion. He didn't hate this. He was af- afrai-...

...so what had Kuja done? When he had called Three beautiful... the memory passed by his closed eyes, slender hand coming forth, feeling the icy touch of soft skin against his lips, over his face, through his hair... he had been watching him the whole time, he had been... surveying his work, almost, as fingertips ran from his face, down his throat, across his chest...

Three growled suddenly, shaking his head. This was nothing like that! Vivi wasn't his creation, he had no right to touch him the way Kuja had done, he wasn't allowed to pass over his body andwatch his every movement, like he was some prize, like he was some- some possession waiting for his touch!

His touch? What did that mean exactly?

The waltz's frown grew deeper, staring out into nothing. He wasn't allowed to admire him the way he did.

...the way he... he did?

He blinked, confused again,looking back down at the mage... he felt something now, he knew he felt it, but he didn't know what it was...

...alright... pretend... pretend he's yours. As a guide. Be Kuja. What did Kuja do...?

A gnarled, almost purple hand came from his side, reaching to Vivi's face... the mottled color continuing down his wrists, then splitting into strips down his forearm, looking as though it had been sown into black painted skin... he lay it gently on the mage's lips, feeling the warm air as he breathed, feeling the soft skin beneth his fingertips...

...just as a guide... he's not yours he's not... but he could've been...he still could be...

His let his hand move to his cheek, moving across it softly, feeling his back bend, his face getting closer to Vivi's, almost as if trying to get a closer look, nothing but trying to get a closer...

...he could've been... he still could... be...

Silk strands of hair between his fingers, crimson eyes staring into closed amber, almost as if he could see straight through them, or wishing he could, wishing...

"...Three..."

He stopped, his face so close to Vivi's, his lips barely touching the mage's as the unconsious word fell from his mouth, the injured figure almost whipsering it. His head turned, beautiful curlean hair now tickling the waltz's face. He had been... so close.

He felt suddenly like... a failure.

His lips shut. His eyes as well. He leaned back, resting his back agasint the cavern wall. A failure. Even in sleep, Vivi had rejected him... how would he react when he awoke? Clothed in Three's jacket, nestled in his arms, the waltz would've liked to belive he would be greatful, if only a little.

...grateful? Really? Is that all?

Slanted crimson eyes opened slightly, gasing into those of his former enemy. While he watched, Vivi's hand rose, clutching his jacket gingerly, weakly. Three almost let a small smile pass his lips... it was forgien, smiling without evil intent, without mavolent laughter... purple skinned, talon like hand met slender black skin, moving his fingers between his...

He didn't know what he was doing. His mind was numb. He kept starting... staring at Vivi's face like he couldn't turn away... before he knew it, before he could stop himself, he was speaking, his lips forming words in a soft tone he didn'tknow he had, and it sounded as virgin, as forgein as he felt.

"I'm sorry... just don't... leave."

Somthing welling up inside...he felt... innocent. And for a moment, he forgot the pain of his past, and he pushed aside visions of reoccuring murders, and he blocked scenes of violence. The clandistine words fell like raindrops from his mouth, washing away sins, washing away...

"...I never ment for any of this to happen. I didn't know... I didn't know you were so... I knew would've done it if I knew you were... like this..."

Numb. Just say it. Get it over with. The word slammed agasint his heart like an hammer on an anvil, shaking his chest to the very soul, and, finally, the strangled syllables escaped him.

"...beautiful..."

†

_A/n: The next chapter'll be so much better. I swear._


	9. Vivi the Paranoid Magenoid

_A/n: I likes this chappie. It does have something to do with the story! It's not just filler! __The usual suspests get thems some thankees and virtual cookies- **Lori**(that is the best description of Three I've ever heard. .), **Beastiewolf**('Tis what I'm known for...), **Malevalla**(I know I'm a horrible speller!Argh!), **RoseMage**(I'm all evil like that, eh? .),** Steeple333**(Thankees muchly!), **Pilotsolver**(My spelling is bad, I know! But thankess fer the complements, I'll check out the ficcie right away!), and my new face, **Gelendra**(Thankees muchly as well! .)._

_Disclaimer: Oh please don't say I own something. I don't. Leave me be!_

Beautiful Equilibrium

Topaz glass shattered a cracked, the floodgates of crystal tears rushing forth, attempting to push back horrible memories- nightmares! Shadowed slender hands groped dark rainclouds that covered him, forcing the air from his lungs, and he found he couldn't breathe. He managed to scream, to yell out the only word that made sense, that failsafe word that always seemed to rescue him from danger-

"Grandpa!"

He fought the crimson darkness, the suppressing reoccurance; kicked, screamed, lashed out- something grabbed his arms, pushed him down, held him there- a voice was penatrating the thick void-

"Vivi! Damn it- stop! Your havin' a nightmare, wake up!"

Fire- death- screaming- he heard other voices in his head, "Help us, please... we...never wanted to die..."

"VIVI!"

The mage's eyes snapped open, his breath coming rushed to his lungs- it was like he couldn't get enough air in one short gasp, and he had to take four more. Vision darted wildly until it found a face-

Zidane Tribal. Not a day over sixteen, the monkey tailed teen grinned sympatheticly, but one could read the concern in his eyes, the worry wrapped around his words as he spoke.

"Calm down buddy... you were just having a bad dream..."

"...b-bad...dream?"

Vivi repeated the words cautiously, as if they were completely foreign, his voice was small, innocent... childish. The nine year old eventually sat up slowly, with the aid of his friend, shivering from the cold air that latched to tear bathed face, sweat drentched tunic... suddenly, lithe black fingers came to his face, feelings heat build up in his cheeks as he realised what had happened. Such a stupid thing, to scream and cry over a dream! But it... had been so real...

Zidane sighed, wrapping his strong arms around the boy, running a hand though his hair, those feathersoft, beautiful curulean locks... they weren't a secret to him- the teen was the only person, aside from the mages grandfather, who knew what Vivi relaly looked like, the only one the boy really trusted. He waited paiantly as said child cried into his chest, slender fingers gripping weakly to his shirt as if it was the only thing that kept him tied to this world... teal eyes searched the room for any threats, dangers that he had missed when he entered.

The room was small, but that was understandable for the small inn in the Lindblum Business district. The only furnishings were the dresser, the small bed on whitch they now sat, a mirrored vanity. He blnked as backed off as Vivi withdrew, running his arms across his eyes in effort to rid himself of any trace that he was crying- it didn't work. Clothed in only one of Zidane's spare sleeveless tunics, amber eyes slowly joined soft blue as plush words barely met the teens ears.

"...I'm sorry..."

Zidane grinned, shaking his head gently. "You dun't need to be sorry, Vivi." He muttered, comfortingly running his hand across the boys shoulder. "Just a bad dream, 'sall, we all get 'em..."

Vivi looked up hopefully, innocence almost coating him. "Really? E-even you?"

He chuckled, nodding. "Yep, even me. I had one last night, actually."

"About what?" Curiosity couldn't be stifled.

Zidane cocked his head to the side, musing. To anyone else, it would be obvious that he was making this up off the top of his head- but Vivi belived in his friends words. "...wull... somthing was chasing me. I was runnin', tryin' to get away... and all of a sudden, it grabbed me, and I yelled and turned around and saw the most hidious thing I've ever seen in my entire life!"

The boy gasped, his topaz eyes wide in fright. "What was it!"

"Rusty! In clean armour!" Zidane grinned suddenly, winking. Vivi's face contorted into confusion- before he understood it was a joke. He hid his face as he giggled, the blonde nudging him gently with an elbow.

"You okay? You wanna talk about it?"

The mage mulled over that. Talk about it? Would Zidane understand? The most terrifying experiance of his life... for the past few nights, it had been playing over and over in his head, like a broken record that refused to be stopped. Piercing, evil eyes, wind whipping his face, magic, horrible thunder screeching through the sky-

...he swore he felt blood on his hands...

The little figure stared at his ungloved hands, as if studing them... slowly, he spoke, honey eyes stubbornly staying on his palms, those black painted appendages...

"...have you e-ever felt like... you were responsible for something... you couldn't control...?"

The blonde tilted his head. "...Vivi?"

Suddenly, fingers curled into fists, the boy wincing as if the very action as stung him. "...the airship... with that... waltz... I killed him, Z-zidane...murdered him..."

The thief paused, his breath caught in his lungs... let it out slowly, teal eyes pinned to the sheets as he pulled himself to his feet, away from the boy. Vivi didn't seem to notice- perhaps he did, as clear drops of guilt slid from his cheeks, hitting the linin that so starkly contrasted to his eboney skin. He knew he wouldn't understand. He didn't blame him for walking away...

Amber eyes snapped open as he felt arms circle his waist, weight slide onto the matress behind him, his companions hot breath on his cheek as Zidane's chin came to rest on his shoulder. Soft words filled his very being, warming him from the inside, something the started in his chest and spread like a sickness.

"...You did what you thought was right, Vivi." He whispered, his calloused rough hands capturing the boys untouched, soft fists. "You killed him, yes- but there's a diffrence between murder and self defense. He wanted to kill us, and if you hadn't done what you did... he would've succeded. You protected us... your our hero, Vivi."

The warmth reached the ends of his fingertips, the tips of his toes as these words penatrated the cloud that surrounded him. He was... a hero? "...you really think so...?" He blinked, turning his face a bit, searching for those deep blue eyes of his, as if he needed that contanct to finalize this statement.

He found it as Zidane lifted his head slightly, a soft smile locked on his lips. "...I know so." He whispered.

They sat in silence for a moment, just watching each other, studying every detail of the expression the other wore, before Vivi sunk back agasint the teen, smiling contentedly. "...thank you, Zidane..." He whispered, his amber eyes shutting slowly.

Zidane nodded a bit, watching him as he lulled halfway between the worlds of man and make belive, the precipice of sweet dreams. "...you really are beautiful when you smile, Vivi." He muttered, leaning slowly to press his lips to the boys quickly, a sweet embrace, something more parternal than simple lust. No response from the mage- he had drifted to imagination there in his firends secure embrace.

Safe, warm secure. Vivi felt it, lingering on his lips, the last remark not all together lost on him. Beautiful... is that what you do, to those who are beautiful? An embrace, to balance the tides between you, so that niether of you are more beautiful than the other. A kiss for the lovely.

A beautiful equilibrium.

†


	10. Don't Panic

_A/n: Finally. I've been waiting for this. Be warned, however, there are some werid literary devices in here.**Lori**(Thank you so much for noticing! I always look forward to your reviews!), **Beastiewolf**(Gah! Muses! On your Compy!), **Malevalla**(I dun't have spell check... sniffle),**RoseMage**(Thankees!), and **Steeple333**(Thank you so much! You're always so nice and constructive.)_

_**Disclaimer: **I don't own any Final Fantasy IX chara, but I'm rather taken with my ideas. So let's not be taken those. Luffs!_

Beautiful Equilibrium

Roots of a beautiful, strong oak tree lifted from the ground, meeting raised roots of a delicate cherry sapling that had only begun to live; though it's leaves plainly spoke of it's long age, stunted growth. Fireflies awoke at the sun's last rays dissipearing over the horizon, the oncoming dusk causing them to dance carelessly through the air, weaving through the trees, dodging around them, drifting between them. The trees did not move at the annoyance, only stared at each other, as if they were the last two organisims on the face of the earth, roots locked together so that no one could ever tear them apart, exquisite white flowers to plain drull brown and green.

On that clear night, the stars blissfully shining good graces, the fireflies agitatedly flicking lights at the trees; the rain began. Though there was no trace of cloud in the sky, the light mist of heaven's teardrops fell upon the Gaian forest, and everything was glazed in dispair.  
His fingers still wound between the unconsious teenagers, Black Waltz Three's face remained completely shadowed, his crimson eyes only rivits of light, the only thing remotely visible on his dark features. He had been tryng to go over everything that had happened, trying to sort it out, make sense of it...

Trapped in a cave with his most hated enemy, abandonded by his own brothers; apoligised for his violence on the airship, holding Vivi in his arms, holding Vivi's hand... it didn't make sense, none of it really did, but somwhow... it just... felt... right. There was truthfully no other way to explain the emotion he felt, rather than it as just... right.

He had never felt this way with Kuja...

Somewhere in the back on his mind, though, he somehow knew it wouldn't be, from the beginning. The young black mage was nothing like him- where Kuja lacked in kindness and concern, Vivi excelled. He was the picture of an angel, as the archtype goes- unmatched in beauty, unparalleled in compassion and care, warm and clean and clandistine innocence. Three suddenly felt that if he did in fact lay beside him as he slept, the most wonderful thing in the world would be to wake up there, with him still in his arms, those incredible amber eyes staring up at him childishly, a small smile on perfect lips, a strand of stray hair gently laying across the bridge of his nose...

Crimson eyes opened slightly, this breathtaking image replaced with the one before him- the mage bathed in dried blood and tears, breath uneven... his hand tightened around the teen's as he almost angrily glanced away, frowning.  
"...you must be pretty dissipointed in me, Master Kuja." He muttered, almost as if the pale, slender, feminine man were standing there beside him. "...not only did I fail my mission, failed to return to you, failed you... I find myself here..." His eyes slid back to previous position, not being able to take themselves from Vivi's face. "...feeling things you've only described I would feel, towords someone... other than you." Lips almost curled into a smile as he spoke these words, an unfamiliar pressure beginning to gather in his lungs.  
"...this feeling you once called... love... such care for another being..." He shook his head, almost smiling a bit, the pressure slowly creeping up his throat, crawling over the back of his head, clawing it's way into his mind... he almost laughed- but he didn't. It was something diffrent, captured emotion he had not yet experinced, not once in his life, this pressure proving to be overwhelming.

Black Waltz Three was crying.

"Why did it have to be him... of all people, why did it have to be him." He shut his red hot eyes tightly, almost yelling, his wings snapping forward angrily, lashing out. "I hate it! Not being able to do a thing about it! I hate him! I hate you! Why did you do this to me! I hate you! I hate..." He trialed off, his free hand coming to rest over his eyes, a smiling, confusedly bitter sob escaping his strangled voice.

Even though he sat there crying, the voice within him finally escaped, the consious he knew had caused all this madness broke free of binding hold, and spoke soflty...

"...I ... I love you."

Silent tears rolled from unstained cheeks as he said this, dropping to painted black skin, to honey amber eyes that diveted the trail. Wide open, topaz eyes. The mage's delicate lips parted finally, making some form of comprehensible speech.

"...Three...?"

The Waltz almost jumped, his face darting back to the form in his lap, lemon eyes inquisitve and bright, a child's first look into a coy pond. Lithe hand detached itself from thin tunic, rasing slightly to gently brush away tears, a childish smile spreading across his lips. Three blinked, all anger, all confusion and admiration dissipating, only able to stare at Vivi as numb tounge seperated syllables.

"...you really are... beautiful, when you smile, Vivi..."

It was simply more a truthful statement than anything else to Three- but to Vivi, it made all the diffrence in Gaia. The mage bit his lip to keep from showing any emotion rather than the gentle smile over his lips- waking up in this embrace, having been cared for, watched, all day, the safety of strong arms emcircleing him, the warmth of sacrificed jacket over his shoulders, the security knowing Three cared for him. This was all he needed.

He spoke, his words so soft one could barely hear them. "...you're beautiful too, you know."

With that, free hand slid into the stone grey tresses, faded emotoion met pitch black light, and guided lips finally met. An embrace, to balance the tides between them, so that niether was more beautiful than the other. They were equal in thier own right, surrounded by the remians of their journey here, to the single most important event in either of thier lives. They held each other so tightly, no one could tear them apart... and they needed that closeness.

Beautiful. A kiss for the lovely.

Through the fallen rocks and shattered barriers stood intertwined oak and cherry, forever watching one another as the rain slowed, then dissipeared completely. It had scared away the fireflies and demons that forever haunted the two souls, and left each clothed in a thick halo cast dancing tones of crimson and sahppire, amber and grey, from the moons above, coated in heaven's starry embrace.

†


	11. The SOB who knows where his towel is

_A/n: Ah, just about time I updated, huh? I'm really, really sorry it took so long... I had a horrible 'bout of writers block. I'm back though now, hurrah! And I just don't trust those new fangled reply dealies... I rather like the old fasioned way. .;_

_A big heatfelt thanks to the reviewers of last round-- **NeoNaoNeo **It's always been that way, though...I'm sorry! I'm a yaoi fan! T.T;),** Pilotsolver** (Why thankees!), **Steeple333** (I'm working on the grammer! I'm tryin'! T.T; But thankees for the complements...), **Malevalla** (. Thankees!), **Beastiewolf** (Thankees, and your very welcome. It's a good thing.) and** RoseMage** (/ker-bow/ Why thankee! Your so nice.) Ohs, and **Pheo **(It's still alive! Thanks for the comments!). Hurrah. On to things!_

_**Disclaimer**: I hearby disclaim everything I own, and everything I do not._

Beautiful Equilibrium

_...jingle...jingle..._

Repetitive, but comforting. Gently, the little bell swung in the breeze, the setting sun glinting off tarnished gold metal, the pretty little red ribbon tied around the top slit being held tightly by purple tinged skin, black nails, long fingers. Black Waltz One watched it as it swung back and forth, back and forth, the delicate ringing sounding much more tired than usual. Ivory eyes seemed to match the tone, closing gently as he laying his face against crossed arm, which was in turn resting on the cold marble stone of Alexandria's guest room balcony. The stars were beginning to appear in the listless blackening sky, lanterns lighting in building windows, coating the streets in a warm tawny glow... the waltz's stomach turned over, suddenly nauseated by the whole scene.

_...jingle...jingle...  
_  
Slowly, the room's heavy oak door opened, letting out a bit of a squeak, then closed soon after. One didn't have to turn around, as his brothers familiar light footsteps reached his ears, the rustle of wings. They approached as Two appeared to his line of sight, the smaller waltz turning his face slightly, as if to restrict his comrades gaze from his.

"...Hito? What's the matter?" The pacifist voice muttered soothingly. One sighed- he was kind of expecting that. The most annoying thing about his sibling was that he had an uncanny ability to sense less than perfect moods.

"...he's probably dead by now, Dyuetto." Was the down trodden answer.

The robed waltz recoiled slightly. "Hitotsu... please don't say that. Mittsu's strong, he'll make it."

There was no answer from the other, as Two's eyes contorted to pure sympathy. He sighed a bit at a length, then shook his head, taking a few steps into the safety of the room, out of One's sight- though that didn't stop his from comforting. "Have faith, brother. I'm sure both he and the Mage have come to some agreement by now... I very much doubt they're fighting anymore. Well, not for now, anyways." He chanced a bit of a nervous chuckle as a hand swept up to take the brim of his hat. "Though as soon as they're free again, I imagine we'll have to hold Mittsu back, eh?"  
_  
...jingle...jingle..._

One heard the exasperated sigh, but at the moment he didn't much care. He continued gazing solemnly at the little bell, all up until the point where his shoulders were seized and used to twist him around, staring into the face of his companion.

In the security of closed doors, Two had removed not only his steeple crowned hat, but his robes and disengaged his mask as well- dark brown short sleeved tunic, black pants and brown leather boots that almost matched his hat underneath. He looked like his brother in every sense of appearance, though amber white eyes radiated more concern than his more powerful kin ever could. His horns still stood, base hidden by a thick mess of flame red, insanely curly shoulder length hair, tied back with a ribbon identical to the one around One's bell, almost undetectable amidst tresses. The most noticeable trait he and his brother shared, however, was the fading color into their faces- and where Three's had faded to a light stone gray, Two's lightly drifted from solid ebony to a light red, almost to be considered a rosy pink. He chewed upon his bottom lip as One shook his head slightly, his voice dropping to a cautious whisper.

"Dyuetto! What if someone comes in here an-"

"Oh, shove it, that's the least of my worries at the moment." The taller Waltz almost snapped, sending the other into a blinking fit. "Hito, I know you're worried about him, I'm worried too, but that shouldn't force us to loose hope. Certainly it shouldn't send us from each other..." A small smile came to his lips, a gentle curve of perfect features. "And besides, I know you don't really believe he's dead. Wasn't it you who was convinced, after all he's been through, the South Gate incident and everything, that our dear brother is invincible?"

"I never said that." One growled, shoving his shoulders back to disengage Two's hold. The whole movement made him look almost frustrated. "None of us are invincible, you should know that, out of the three of us."

Normally soft voice replied sternly now, quickly. "Let's leave the past out of this, shall we?" His tone, however, made clear there was no question involved in this statement. The belled figure watched him for a quick second, almost warily, before directing his eyes elsewhere. "I didn't want to argue about anything."

"Good, neither did I."

"I just really don't think sitting around here and waiting is gonna help us at all. By this point, I know somethin'll happen to him, somethin'..." He turned, his voice drifting off as he took his place slowly at the balcony again, gazing down into the harbor below. The little bell told of his obvious distress as he watched two figures below, a female voice giggling, belonging to a woman in white robes, being picked up and sprung around briefly by an arriving blonde in a dark blue cloak... though, from this distance, it was impossible to read features, though one could imagine the overjoyed look on either face as they met.

One felt a slight tug on the brim of his hat as he glanced beside him, Two coming to join him in leaning against the banister of the gloomy gray terrace. They both watched the pair for a moment, their faces close, enjoying they're private moment alone... only not.

"I feel so dirty." He commented coolly, after a moment, which received a chuckle from his comrade.

"Hey, if they didn't want other people seein', they wouldn't be doing this here. I mean, the ferry chick's right there, too."

"But she's not watching." Two pointed out, sly smile pulling at the edges of his lips as he observes the very action in which he describes- the Alexandrian solider who had ferried the male into the harbor casually turned her head towards open water, as if there was something interesting there.

"She wants to." One grinned, lifting a hand to push his cheek up against it. They watched the two for a few moments longer before they both moved out of sight, away from the ferrywoman, the prying eyes of others. Neither spoke for the longest time, before the passive one released words quietly, so quietly.

"...you weren't thinking about Three, were you."

Ivory eyes slid shut, a frown crossing them.

_...jingle...jingle..._

"Admit it. Just admit it."

"I'll do no such thing." He snapped back, the tone of the instrument growing harsher with each syllable.

"Why, because you don't want to show me how similar you and I really are?" Two murmured, his words not rising above an unassertive whisper, his own eyes closing calmly. " You don't want to admit that you hate our life as much as I do?"

A fuse seemed to flicker in the shorter waltz as his eyes sprang open, his wings flinging themselves into a defensive position and flipping the bell into an open palm, clenching his fist around it. "Don't you say another word, Dyuetto. Not another fucking word." He turned on a heel and promptly walked back into the room. The once robed form shook his head a bit, a bit of a laugh backing his voice.

"And what would you do if I did say something else, Hitotsu? Hit me? Like it would change anything. I'd of still said what you don't want to hear."

"Shut up."

"That you, like me, like every other wretched creature who walks this soil cursed with our appearance-"

"Shut. Up!"

"-wish to be just."

"Don-"

"Like."

"Two!"

"Them."

Explosion. One growled deeply, something that didn't even look possible for his frame, crossing the room in strides to large to be his own, grabbing his brother around the from of his tunic and dragging his face down to his level, snarling in his face. "I fucking _told_ you not to say it!"

"You can't deny the truth, Hito. Not from me, not for so long. For years and years I've asked you the same question, and it's always got me nothing but a kick in the teeth." He shook his head, a few strands of distraught curls hung in his face, white topaz eyes narrowing slightly. "I'm not backing down. I'm not. Your my brother for Gaia's sakes, your supposed to be able to tell me anything!"

"That bond was destroyed a long time ago, Dyuetto, a long time ago!" Two almost winced at that, and the more aggressive of the two seemed about ready to go on, but a sudden rapping upon the door quieted and separated them instantly.

"Waltz's, you do have a strict curfew hour that the Queen would love to hear you've broken..." The Pluto Knight Captain's voice resonated through the heavy door and across the walls- geez he had a loud voice.

The pacifist smiled brightly, as if none of the proceeding events had ever taken place, nodding enthusiastically at the door. "I remember now sir, thank you for reminding us!" They both stood silently until they heard heavy footsteps clank away. Two's smiling eyes glanced up at One, wordless for a moment, before the latter's gruff voice spoke.

"Brown noser."

"This brown noser is the only thing keeping us in the clear, thank you very much." He retorted, matter of faculty. "Your no help with your constant insults."

"They deserve it."

He sighed at a length, moving to the bed he had claimed his. "Let's just sleep, shall we? It's been years since I've slept in a real bed, I think I'll enjoy it immensely." Picking up and securing his hat satisfactorily about his head and horns, hair completely hidden expertly, he slid under blankets, allowing an almost relived sigh. Glancing back at his brother's silhouette in the doorway of the balcony, he raised a steady brow. "I take it your not taking our new friends' advice?"

"I couldn't sleep here if I tried. That blonde freak's trying to kill me, I swear it."

Two chuckled sleepily. "Your growing paranoid, brother of mine."

His veranda dwelling confidante gave a small laugh himself, leaning against the barrier again, holding the little golden bell over the edge. "Better safe than sorry. 'Night, Dyuetto."

"Good Night, Hito... remember, by this time tomorrow, we'll have Mittsu to bid sweet dreams to."

A wry smile crossed One's expression as he nodded. "Yeah, sure, Dyuetto."

The torch lights from the city danced across the water, bathing all in stubborn golden glow, much to the Waltz's obvious discomfort. Small wings lightly traced the warm air as ivory orbs silently gazed upon the lights, the buildings, the little tarnished bell he held loosely in outstretched hand, pretty little red ribbon looped around his fingers. His arm twitched, and the bell rang out a lamentable testament to the city beyond.  
_  
...jingle...jingle..._

†

The morning's fog blanketed the grand kingdom of Alexandria, a stubborn marine layer that refused to lift, even as the majestic _Red Rose II _boarded passengers, loaded equipment and supplies. At a fairly quick pace, borrowed Lindblum soldiers, femme Alexandrian regiment and choice members of the often underrated Knights of Pluto went about preparing the mighty airship for liftoff, the key travelers gathering around specific meeting place so wisely chosen before preparations for the rescue began.

On the dock of the ship, very close to the boarding ramps, stood the ragtag rabble of adventurers, including a sober faced Zidane Tribal beside a refreshed Garnet Till Alexandros, audacious appearing Eiko Carol, anxious Freya Crescent and apprehensive Adelbert Steiner, all curiously dressed in familiar traveling attire- blue vests, orange spandex and yellow overalls to respective individual. And in the midst of it all, a very out of place looking pair of Waltzes.

"Alright, so, game plan." Zidane started, his tail dancing restlessly back and forth across the planks of the deck. "The one with the Mace comes with me, Dagger n' Rusty to the cabin, so he can direct us on where we're goin'." Teal eyes swept the surprised looking Two as he raised a blonde brow. "You're staying with Eiko and Freya so they can keep an eye on you. You got a problem with that?"

"I- I, er..." He bit his lip a little bit, nervous eyes darting to his brother- who simply shrugged.

"Good enough."

"B-but Hito-!" The taller waltz began.

"Trust me." Interjected One smoothly, grinning slyly up at him. "You'll be fine. Just keep your nose brown." He strode to keep up with his appointed group, who had already left for the cabin. Two held out a hand as if to catch him, but the deck made a slight jump as the engines began pumping steam into the turbines, propellers overhead beginning to whirl as the ship started to lift off. Unable to keep up with the movement, the waltz stumbled a bit, almost fell, but was steadied by a stable, white furred hand.

"Apparently, you haven't ridden too many airships."

The pacifist nodded slightly, giving an almost dissonance tone to his short lived laugh. "Not too many, no. Thank you..." He couldn't help his eyes from trailing after his brother, his hands coming together before him to wring themselves gently. Oh how he hoped he wouldn't say anything to stupid...

†

_A/n: Holy crap! I left One alone with Steiner and Zidane! What the hell is wrong with me!_


	12. Three, I think I'm a couch

_A/n: Well well welly welly well. Look who decided to update! p Yes, I realize I'm a horrible person to keep you all waiting this long, but I figured this bit of Dyuetto fluff... also known as the whole friggin' chapter... will be enough to tide you over as we come to the grand finale of our story... so read on! .  
Thanks to all me wonderful reviewers, without which this story would never be. You guys rock. _

**Disclaimer**: I own no Final Fantasy IX Character. But If I did, I'd dress Vivi up like a giant, huggable raincloud. He seems like the raincloud type to me.

Beautiful Equilibrium

"...Three...?"  
"...what?"  
"I... I want to stay like this... f-forever..."  
"..."  
"Three?"  
"So do I, Vivi."

†

Up until this point, it had been anger, hatred... fear. Until this moment in time all his heart carried was this, but now...

Now Black Waltz Two felt... content. He didn't even know why.  
He stood on the deck of the _Red Rose II_, wings completely outstretched and filtering the wind through the beautiful feathers he called his, that waterfall of blue, green, gold. Eidolons... how he knew that this contentment was somehow misplaced, as if coming... from another being entirely, someone outside of himself... but how silly was that? Even if it was, who would it be?

His amber ivory eyes opened softly against the warm wind that hit him now, all nervousness abated. The only thing that could possibly make this better was to have both his brothers by his side now, joined there in the silence, the reverence of this beautifulmoment.

The sun was just centering itself now, hanging brightly from the sky as if suspended from a golden chain, clear cerulean not hindered by any bothersome puffs of white. The only thing that interrupted the beautiful sight was themesa wall to theright of them, the tree line to the front, nothing but open field everywhere else. Somewhere in the distance he knew the Dragon's Gate was close, he could feel it. Somewhere inside him, he could feel they were getting closer to his brother.

Somewhere inside... the... contentment...?

"...What do you look so happy about?"

The peirceing voice snapped the pacifist from his thoughts, eyes turning quickly to meet the bright emerald eyes of a certain princess.

"Ah... Princess Eiko..." There was somewhat of an awkward bow placed clumsily in the obvious identification, wings snapping to a folded position behind him- a quick scan of the deck told him that the dragon knight was no where to be found, at the time. "Er, my apologies..."

"It's no big deal..." She muttered, leaning up against the side of the airship where he had currently been standing. "Just wanted to know what you were doin' out here. Zidane did tell you to stay with us, remember?"

The waltz blinked. When not fresh from his brothers insults, the teenager... wasn't really all that bad, not as demanding or... well, stuck up as he had seen earlier. Stiffly, he placed a pseudo casual hand on the banister separating the two figures from a plummet to the earth, roughly a couple hundred feet below. "...thinking, majesty."

"Hn. What is it with you mage's and thinking? Vivi does that constantly, just stares off into space and... thinks."

Two smiled softly, his eyes the only window to this emotion. "Maybe Vivi and I have a lot to think about..." He shrugged a bit, biting his lip slightly. "I don't know, I never really got to know him."

Eiko snorted, flicking a piece of purple hair from her face, almost irritatedly... or prissily. "Of course not, seeing as last time you were trying to kill him."

He frowned a bit, shaking his head. "It- it's not as simple as that."

"Simple as what?" The girl tilted her face, green eyes locking with his topaz white, as if she were looking straight through him. "Trying to kill him. You were evil at the time. Easy."

A steady brow raised from him. "...at the time?"

"Not saying you aren't still now."

"Ah." He directed his attention stubbornly towards his hand at this, intent on leaving it at that. He would not betray his brother's trust a second time... he had promised to keep their secret, no matter what! And he had already leaked it to Queen Garnet... He hoped that she would keep to her word and not tell a soul... the last thing he needed was another argument with Hitotsu.

"So what were you thinkin' about?"

After a brief mental backtrack on the Waltz's part, the only intelligible noise he could make quickly was a brief, "Wha?"

Another snort. It seemed all Eiko liked doing was talking and snorting. "You said you had a lot to think about. Like what?"

"O-oh. Like... Like the well being of my brother... brothers, I suppose." He made a bit of a face at that... in truth, he wasn't really sure who he was more worried about at the time- Three, locked in a cavern for two days with his greatest enemy, Vivi Orunitia, or One, locked in the cabin with three of the saviors of the world, one of which was almost his murderer, and no one there to keep a hand over his big mouth. Two shook his head, not willing to pause on that note for too long- if he did, he knew she would question some element in it. "How Vivi's doing right now... wondering weather or not we're going to live through this..."

"Why wouldn't you?" That irrately high, nasally tone returned to the princess' voice again, the razors edge of accusation. "If Vivi's alive, then you'll be able to escape unharmed. That's what Zidane says."

The taller form wrinkled his nose, speaking before he could stop himself. "Do you always listen to what Zidane tells you?" Immediately after the comment, he bit his lip hard. Why would he say something like that! Hitotsu must be rubbing off on him...

Eiko, however, merely shrugged. "He seems to be in charge of this whole thing, so don't you think he would know?"

Two titled his head. "...true."

"Anyways, what should you care about Vivi?"

"What?"

There was an exasperated sigh as the teen lowered her face, chin into the palms of her hands, her elbows in turn being supported by the banister. "You said you were wondering how Vivi's doing right now. Why should you care?"

The pacifist blinked. "Oh." Was the only sound that could escape his lips, before returning to his mind for some serious thought. Why was he worried about that mage? Perhaps it was that the powerful teenager held the fate of he and his brother's lives- if Vivi turned up to be dead in those caverns, the waltz's would surely meet their ends there as well.

...but was it really just that?

"...Vivi is... a good person. Good people don't deserve to have things happen to them... things like this, anyway." He concluded, his eyes lingering now at his feet, the front of his robes, so on. Anywhere but the general vicinity of Eiko's face. "...my brother... Mitsu, Black Waltz Three... you may not think it, but he's a good person as well... he doesn't deserve this, just as your friend doesn't. I think their just innocent victims of Fate's game... for one reason or another, they were pitted together there, trapped with each other... maybe for something ourselves, as mere mortals, can't even begin to fathom..."

Finally, he chanced a glance up at the princess as one of his wings twitched in anticipation- and found her just... staring at him. With a look of utter disbelief on her face.

"...sheeze." She muttered finally, frowning and looking again out at the scenery that was quickly passing them, "and I thought Vivi always tried to be philosophical... you mage's really are the same..."

Two's lips twitched into a bit of a smile, now feeling confident enough to push a little farther, perhaps. "Well, technically, I'm not a mage, I'm a-"

Eiko pushed off her elbows suddenly with a bit of a giggle, maybe. "You know what I meant, you stupid waltz!" Even as she insulted him she laughed, though not a cruel, demeaning tone as he supposed she would have in a comment like that- it was sincere, like she was just... joking with him.

Two let a bit of a chuckle slip from between tongue and teeth, placing a polite hand over his mouth. The air eventually came to a silence around them, both pairs of eyes simply scanning the landscape, drinking in the beauty of the setting, and... strangely enough, enjoying one another's company... at least, the waltz did. It hand been so long since he had had any civil company, besides his brothers, who weren't really all that civil anyway, to just stare off into the world like this, to take from the palette of Mother Gaia all the visual vitamins she could give...

Even now the pacifists mind escaped him, his thoughts lingering on his past actions... who could've believed that he would've ever helped anyone responsible for attempting to get rid of... all of this? This pure, absolute... beauty?

"...you know..." Eiko began softly, directing the wandering mind to return to her gently. "...I never thought I'd say this... but you're... more like him than anyone I've ever met."

A moments confusion filled the silence of Two's mind as he responded the only way he could to make that sentence more clear for him. "...more like... who?"

"...Vivi..." She almost whispered, taking her bottom lip between her teeth as soon as the word escaped them. The waltz suddenly received this... this overwhelming feeling that Eiko missed the teenage Black Mage a lot more than she let on.

A lot more.

"...you... you love him, don't you?" He muttered, comfortingly enough, but it was enough to turn the purple haired summoners attention straight to him. He winced- for a moment, he could've sworn she was going to scream at him, calling him nasty names, rebuild that unfriendly barrier that they had tore down, if not only half way, and it would've been all his fault in one swoop of a stupid remark- and for that split second he chided himself for once again taking after his older brother and jumping straight to what he was going to say without taking anything else into consideration-

But she nodded. The expression of hate subsided, ebbing away into what could be called... grief... before her eyes returned to the landscape, once again taking her trembling lip into her mouth.

"...I'm sorry..." Two continued, well against his better judgment, "I'm sorry that this had to happen. I'm sorry he had to get involved in us..." His eyes made a slow track away from her, perhaps just away in general. "It must be tough, being away from the one you love..."

"...for seven years I've wrote letters, received letters... I haven't seen him..." She sniffled. "..I wanted to see him..." Suddenly, anger as swift as the tide rushed forth, crashing against the rocks with foam that streamed down her cheeks as Eiko turned suddenly, pushing the Waltz from his standpoint near the barrier. "Then you're _stupid_ 'brother' had to take him away! When Freya told me he was coming, I was so excited! You- you waltzes!" She went to shove him again, but the ship lurched, the princess loosing her balance and tripping, falling- only to be caught in the safe arms of Black Waltz Two...

Her dew flecked, grass filled eyes turned upwards, meeting the cool gaze of white gold... and suddenly she could no longer see the ivory that clouded the topaz, only the rich honey, that beautiful amber, that she had regrettably fallen in love with, over the years of being apart.

"...I know. I so sorry." Was the response, the baritone voice of the waltz piercing even the most stubborn reaches of the teen's mind. She was lost in that sentence, that voice, those eyes, and for a minute she didn't know what to do... she felt as though she were in some beautiful dream... balanced between contented reality and unbelievable daydream... a beautiful equilibrium...

She was suddenly snapped out of her thoughts by a harsh noise, the heart gripping clang of metal on metal... perhaps even definable as dagger on staff. Two broke away at this, a hand kept on her shoulder, steadying her as his eyes were redirected to the cabin door of the ship, a way down the deck, the waltz speaking in a growl.

"Hitotsu."

†

The panicked form of Black Waltz Two was greeted by an almost expected sight when he crashed through the door to the cabin, followed closely by Princess Eiko. Expected enough for the pacifist to merely sigh in frustration as he perceived the situation."Hito!"

"What!" Was the immediate response, almost a whine, but more like a grunt, given his current stance. He was almost bent over backwards, an awkward position for most already, not to mention one with a stature such as his, as he held the staff horizontally to block Zidane's vertical dagger strike. His hands were shaking on the weapon, the bell tied to his wrist giving dismayed little calls of fatigue, the little wings pasted to his back outstretched. At his brother's accusing stare, he yelled, rather indignantly, in his own defense- that standard answer so innocent enough to work- "He started it!"

"Liar!" Zidane snarled, his situation a bit different. He wasn't even using his full power on the staff, this much was obvious, weather it be concern for Vivi's rather rare weapon or the fact that Garnet was doing her best to haul him off the waltz alone(as Steiner was not helping, he actually looked as though he were enjoying this little fracas), couldn't be deciphered. But his tail was lashing about, fur standing on end, a few random, individual hairs sticking straight up as well.

One growled straight back, narrowing ivory eyes to a deadly point. "No body asked you, monkey breath!"

With a low growl the tension in the air increased sevenfold, Zidane suddenly launching himself at the shortest form with a spine squelching feral noise that was not unlike that of a very angry felines- his blade would've met the mark at One's throat if not for an unforeseen obstruction- Black Waltz Two. The blade buried itself into the soft spot between shoulder and arm, nestled tightly between the two sides of the joint. The blonde stopped rather suddenly, teal eyes wide as he glanced up at the waltz, just in time to see his knees fail on him, the robed figure collapsing. The Queen's Captain finally decided to take a playing role in this act, stepping forward to take Zidane's own shoulder into a huge hand, steadying him from doing anything more- but that was a precaution not needed.

The tailed knight just stood, blinking as the afflicted was caught by his brother, who tossed the staff aside in order to do this, the hero's own wife and niece rushing forward to the pacifists aid...

Black Waltz Two... took the blade for that short bastard?

"Dyuetto!" One yelled, now kneeling with his comrade's back to his chest, "are you okay!" Without waiting for an answer he redirected his voice to the stunned blonde, snarling, "You fucking bitch! You'll die for that!"

"H-Hitotsu, please!" The taller figure pleaded, "It's your anger that started this in the first place! No one is to b-blame for this, just so long as you've both stopped being stubborn Ash's and stopped this stupid fighting for once!"

The proposition forced Zidane and the smaller waltz into a silence, hopefully comprehensive, as Garnet and Eiko tried dealing with Two's wound. After a few minutes of struggling and a suppressed scream from the horned one's part, the dagger was finally removed, handed back to Zidane dripping with crimson syrup, at which white eyes narrowed, and a cura was preformed, healing Two's shoulder rather nicely. Standing, with the generous help of the two females, of course, he looked from Zidane to One strictly, almost glaring between them.

"Hito, our brother is trapped. If we have any hope of saving him, we have to work with these people. You understand?"

Looking rather dejected, his companion nodded.

"And Sir Zidane, your best friend is trapped along with him, and you need us to lead you to them and calm Three when we get there, do you not?" When aqua eyes diverted to his, looking a bit confused, Two gained a bit of a sardonic smile. "...or do you wish to have more than one smears of Waltz blood staining your blade?"

Finally, Zidane shook his head.

"Good. Then we're agreed. We're to set aside whatever quarrels we have with each other and deal with the task at hand... saving our comrades."

"I hate to interrupt..." The female Alexandrian Knight at the helm muttered timidly, "but the coordinates the waltzes gave me...? We're here."  
†


End file.
